The Oracle

In my first seven or so years here in rural Thailand, I'd have a blackout pretty much anytime there was moderate-to-heavy rain. Or decent wind. Or it started getting cooler around November. Or it started getting hot around Songkran. Anecdotally the reasons were: 1) Water would enter the transformer or substation and create a short. 2) Trees/vines (as mentioned by others) would fall on or against lines. 3) Snakes would enter the substations or transformers to keep warm. Or to get rats 4) They'd overheat as (apparently) the insulation was unserviceable [I suggested maybe even eaten by aforementioned rats] OR Snakes would enter to keep cool. Of course, there's always the chance of some tool on a two-stroke motorbike older than The Sun, without headlights, taillights, working brakes, or baffles in its exhaust pipe, ploughing into a power pole doing Warp Factor Five, using his head as a crumple zone. Electricity doesn't seem to be that important around here. It's a farming community where everyone (outside retail and government workers obviously) works during all the daylight hours, go home, eat, drink lau kau until 1930 and go to bed to wake and do it again the next day. My house is the only one with air conditioning, one in each of the bedrooms. Two of my immediate neighbours don't even have refrigerators. Most people use fluorescent lights, and maybe the biggest drain would be - apart from those with fridges - the few that still have CRT televisions attached to their PSI terrestrial tv tuner, or have water heaters for their showers. Although, once again, I'm in a very rural and traditional area with most using a bucket and cup for bathing. Over the last three-four years there has been substantial replacement and/or upgrades of the power poles, replacing wooden mounting plates on the older concrete poles with plastic ones, replacing insulators, and replacing the fifty year-old transformers on the poles with new ones. This I have seen with own eyes; with signage of scheduled outages placed, amazingly, before the work began. Prior to the upgrades, I had bought four pure sine wave uninterruptible power supplies: one for the internet router; one for my bedroom tv and computer; one for my outside tv and computer; and one for my landlady's daughter's computer. These would trip easily a dozen times a year. Although there was a notable drop-off during the travel restrictions due to C19. Blackouts did happen more often during the day than at night. I am a light sleeper and, although being moderately hearing impaired, would be woken up by my bedroom's UPS beeping as the mains power cut out. Now? Three of the UPSes have had replacement batteries, while the fourth is a very expensive weight. They have probably only tripped twice since October. They are, however, very good at maintaining steady power output to my electronics during the occasional (monthly?) brownouts due ,invariably, to a vehicle becoming At One with something important further up the line.

I wouldn't believe a word out of the alleged traffickers' mouths, considering it wasn't just one child amongst a bunch adults providing "services", but six children being exploited for monetary gain. If the bar owners were going to traffic girls to paedophiles, I'd be more inclined to think the monetary split was the other way around; if the children were paid anything at all. I'll leave my thoughts to the sentence if found guilty by the courts to your imagination as writing mine would, no doubt, get me censored and/or censured.

Interesting use of "statistics"...? While the decriminalisation of cannabis and kratom has seen an increase in their [public] use, according to this report, the still illegal use of the various forms of methamphetamine is the most widely reportedly drug used by criminals. Criminal history was used to identify previous drug use, but not with any direct correlation to non-criminal use of cannabis or kratom. Put this in perspective: Out of the 13,631 youth criminal cohort, of the 8,971 identified "drug"users, the report suggests 4,811 used cannabis and kratom, leaving 4,160 using meth. This story seems to conflate criminals' previous drug use with the possible availability of meth to students via Twitter. Sure, there needs to be an increase in mental- and addictive-health issue financial funding not only in Thailand but across the world. But, again, some blasé correlation with some people doing weed, and the seriousness meth use addiction has on the health system using a tiny cohort of criminals' previous usage is a bit of a stretch.

I wonder what a 58 year-old - of any nationality - could have done to require a beating severe enough to require their hospitalisation, let a one resulting in their death. Of the many posts we've seen on here and other forms of media, it seems many or most are a generation younger. While we often read about intra-/inter-marital assaults and spousal murders in this age group and higher, it seems to me at least uncommon for a tourist in this age group to be involved in such a violent altercation. It will be interesting to read what details are made public.

I think, originally, was to get a sense of other regions and "touristy areas" of Thailand other than Phuket and Kanchanaburi - the only two places my wife, the children, and I had visited since 2010. Later, post-divorce (the "children" were by then adults) it was getting insights into multi-visit and expat people's experiences and advice on visas and other administrative stuff. I found a lot of posters' first-hand posts very instructive. Since about 2016 or so, it has been to read about people who live in other regions than myself and what news is missing from the various online newspapers. During the pandemic, I read about the various limitations on our (Thailand) travel, the closure of our airports, the advances in vaccine production and disbursement in the ASEAN region, and also I read the Vietnam Forum to see what two of my friends that then lived there were experiencing through news articles so I had some sort of idea when I spoke to them when they were literally told to stay in their condos in HCMC and Da Nang respectively for a month and only have deliveries. I was (am) fortunate that I can walk for at least an hour on the property in the fresh air and not see another soul while they - and millions of others - were virtually imprisoned in a flat/apartment not much bigger than my bedroom. Post Plague? Not much. The news for the first, say, ten years was okay. Even the forums seemed pretty well balanced. Now it's inundated with weird and somewhat pointless questions being posed as threads, with even more noise and misinformation, trolling, and ad hominem attacks than actual substance so I try to limit my exposure to about an hour a month or so. I rarely post. [Having said that, this is my second post today. I better have a lie down and rethink my life choices]

I rarely post at all. When I am bored, I occasionally login and go for a scroll and, not surprisingly, I see the same posters' names and the same types of ad hominem attacks, the same arguments about who speaks better Thai, or who has visited more cities or provinces, or who has lived here longer, or who likes ladyboys, or the anti-[insert any country-of-origin here] brigade. Unless someone brings up US politics for no apparent reason, I generally find most members' posts humorous and can easily read ten or twelves pages before finally realising - through my own willful masochistic blindness - that the topic is no longer even being discussed, just three or four people writing responses to each other. Not learning from my mistake, or being a glutton for punishment, I'll change thread and subject myself to more of the same. It's cathartic. But if more than once a month, I have a good hard look at myself and go to the other bastion of well-structured discussion: the "comments" section of the Bangkok Post.

I still joke with my land lady of almost ten years. Same sort of thing. Although, in her case, English is her fifth out of the six languages she learned and pretty much hasn't used it in almost twenty years since she returned from Hong Kong. Thai although now by far my second, was the third one I'd learned to any serious degree. It's been quite the challenge, me also being deaf in my right ear and partially deaf in my left. The mask mandate during The Plague pretty much put any learning from the locals on hold as I couldn't hear them nor lip-read. Horrendous pronunciation back from 2015 to 2018 had her leaving out words as she said if I'd say them incorrectly, they would undoubtedly sound like some sort of epithet for genitalia. LOL But, over the years, we identified words which we *knew* the other couldn't say. I still can't do the "ng" at the beginning of words properly. So to differentiate between a ngu and a noo, a make a snake movement with my arm, or form a poor rat out of my hand. Of course, context covers up any accented stuff ups. The ladies at the markets, the broader family, the Seven and Mini Big C staff, farmers, and the local police all understand me and they're happy enough. After the grandmas at the markets realised I wasn't going anywhere, they tried to help me by identifying fruit and vegetables. I'd then hone the pronunciation at home using google translate, or with my landlady. And get graded the next time from my "teachers". As I stated, my hardest words are those beginning with "ng". The ones that really stump her ( I suppose they still do) are "Thrust", and "April". Best f up? I thought the things in the plastic bag in my fridge were "field snakes" (which I'd never heard of) but were "field rats" hence her confusion when I asked to cook them like I did as a child: beheaded, cleaned, wrapped in foil and put into coals then the skin comes off as you peel the foil away and you pull the spine out like a fish/eel. "What about the hair?" "They don't have hair." "Rats have hair." Aaahhhhhh! LOL . Phad Gaprow Noo it was, then (crushed bones and all)

I found Reuters to be fairly fact-based and, due to its international scope, generally stays even-keeled on political issues and reports on them almost blandly. Of course, in reading unbiased news, one may find articles that one may disagree with. But I like my opinions challenged with new information based on factual reporting. Of course, "disagreeing" with an article or finding it "distasteful" is not the same as being lied to. Something I abhor.

I have several issues with Lazada, although not receiving timely refunds is not one of them. 1. Receiving items that were obviously returned items from previous purchases as they lacked plastic wrapping, remote controls, operating instructions, were obviously repaired, or the foam packing was in back-to-front; 2. The store's address is in (for example) Samut Prakan and then, once you've paid for the item, the delivery date quoted blows out by five days because, in fact, the item is coming from China, and then it is extended again so the two day expectation goes out to eleven; and 3. Selling items branded as Samsung, OPPO, or such and then an item arrives which is either not even close to that brand, OR as in the examples, the item received is branded "Sansung" or "0PP0". But, back to the OP. I purchased in 2018 or so, through Lazada a 400 piece tool set for, I think, 1200 baht. I wasn't expecting the best quality but, considering my DIY skills, the tools only needed to be used in an emergency or basic repairs as there are plenty of skilled people around here who I can pay 500 a day. Anyway, after delays in packing, then shipping, then at the departing country's export warehouse, then arrival into Thailand, and the "sortation centre" before it finally got to Flash or Kerry or whomever, it was weeks. When the item finally turned up, the package was obviously a baseball cap. I didn't open the package. And when I went to request a refund, and review the item, the store didn't exist.

She pronounced the "s" at the end?

But only nine or so days ago you wrote this:

47 for me, six years after retirement at 41. I worked for various government departments, educational institutions, and industry bodies across Australia in the areas of project coordination, policy development, compliance, course writing and auditing, IT management, and as a security and threat analyst. Basically, if it needed lots of documentation or processes whittled down OR created for efficiency and increasing productivity, I was your man. I now live on a massive rice farm with two dogs four hours to Khon Kaen or Bangkok, five hours to Pattaya, six to Nong Khai., and seven to Chiang Mai.

Been coming to Thailand for fourteen years, lived here just over eight. During the touristy time, neither my (now ex-) wife nor I had our clothes ironed when we dropped them off at the laundry; just washed and folded. Even in the last eight years - I rent a floor of a house in a village - the only ironing going on in this house was done for and then by, the landlady's daughter. Her school uniform. That's it. As she moved to the city for her schooling, the daughter took the iron with her. I make a point of buying clothes that do not require ironing. Having done my own ironing for decades for school, and then for work until I took early retirement, why would I bother?

I would go Honda as they are, by far, more common as a brand than any other. A lot of the parts are interchangeable not only between years and iterations of a model, but often between models as well. You don't say where you are but in my personal experience living in The Bowels of Phetchabun Province, more common replaceable parts such as chains, lights, indicators and so on are more likely to be actually held in stock in the local mechanics workshop. Especially for Honda Waves, as there are substantially more of those (and their predecessors) than anything else. However, out of my nearest two towns - Bueang Sam Pan (16km south) and Nong Phai (12km north) only Nong Phai has motorcycle dealerships: Honda and Yamaha. (BSP has Nissan, Toyota, Hino, and Kubota dealerships). The biggest plus, however, is almost EVERY 13 year-old boy, mechanic, or backyard bloke with a set of spanners, knows how to work on Hondas - especially Waves and Clicks. My Landlady bought a Honda Scoopy-i when she returned from Hong Kong in 2007. Still going and gets a roadworthy no worries (okay, the speedo cable seems to have given up the ghost about four years ago but considering it's only used in the village and the once-a year ride to Nong Phai, who cares?) She is considering buying another next year. I haven't rued my purchase at all. I wanted a bike with gears so I bought a the top-specced Honda Wave-i 110cc with mag wheels, discs, and electric start. Landlady's daughter learned to ride on it, too, and often borrowed it to ride to school (12km north) on days I was on a driving holiday or overseas. She actually bought her daughter a Wave last year, as well, when she turned 15. She pootles around Phetchabun City where she now goes to school, and rides the 90km each way home for the weekend. None of them have missed a beat. Only real "expense" has been a new battery after four years, and two new tyres at around 15,000 (before last wet season) - and many new inner tubes. A normal, 4000km service is so cheap that I've forgotten how much. Considering I only pootle around the village to the market / 7-Eleven 3km each way on it (I have a car for anything requiring me to go on the main road) I didn't even service it annually. BUT for my last service (it needed a mandatory registration roadworthy check as it was over five years old) at 17,600km, they also gave it some other bits and pieces - it also needed the scheduled chain replacement and I think that cost an extra 800 baht. All in, I think it cost around 1700-1800 baht, including the rego fee. A normal service is usually (maybe?) 300-400. Or, after warranty has expired, just give it to your local "mechanic" for the oil change every 4,000 kays and a replacement chain every 20,000. Just remember an annual roadworthy test (which is basically a service with a checklist) is required for road registration after a bike hits five - although some of the Frankenstein's Monsters I see blasting around here with four schoolboys on it wouldn't pass an emissions test, let alone a roadworthy. LOL Good luck.

Depends on the "field of opportunity" from which you became an item. Even then, I'd be cautious. As should she; it's not as if foreigners don't have the possibility of being riddled as well. Sure for contraception, condoms, The Pill, IUDs, Dams are all highly effective. The Rhythm Method and "pulling out" are the Worst Possible Options. A vasectomy WORKS; it's hard for sperm to travel through three layers of tissue after the tubes gave been cut, the ends cauterised, and then relocated between a layer of non-participant tissue. I'd be more concerned about STDs/STis, some of which can only become active years later, if ever. Such as Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) or Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (Genital Herpes) these can lead to serious reproductive issues. As can the easily treated Syphilis or Gonorrhoea (the Clap), and Chlamydia. When deciding on *whatever* your decision is for the long-term, BOTH of you get tested for a full panel. Just in case. There's no blame. Just better to be safe than sorry. And stock up on the antibiotics.

I just completed this quiz. My Score 20/100 My Time 83 seconds  

Unless you can afford Khao Kho, which is up in the mountains and is very mild, avoid Phetchabun Province. The weather is great for 48 weeks of the year BUT... I live about 80km south of Mueang Phetchabun - Khao Kho is about 40km north of M.Phetchabun. I enjoy: Mild "winters"- down to about 13 overnight to generally 28-29 during the day. It's a short winter, thoug, maybe five or six weeks. Stinking hot in the build up to the rainy season (three weeks steadily over 40 degrees with a four-day streak of 45+) for the month of April-May. It was, admittedly, abnormal but these extremes have been getting longer generally over the eight years I've lived here. The rest of the time outside the extreme heat and the chilly December, it isn't too bad. 23-28 overnight to 32-36 during the day. As you know it is currently the rainy season but we're having quite a mild one this year, only raining five nights a week, and rarely a shower during the day if it has not rained the night before. BUT - and it is a big "but" - the infrastructure in this province is woeful; you're four hours from anywhere that sells passable foreign food (apart from KFC 15km, Pizza Hut 90km, or Pizza Company 80km which aren't "food" in this sense). The bus service is slow and, while buses leave several times daily, the distances to Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, take five and six hours respectively, while Mueang Phetchabun to Don Muang airport will take you around six-and-a-half hours. If you like swimming and/or beaches, you're out of luck. 400km drive to the nearest beach and that's Pattaya. And that's a s hol e. There a few reservoirs and a couple of swim resorts near me that you can go into but I tend to avoid e.coli nexi 🙂 Also, due to the unique topography and location of this province all the burnoff smoke from the Isaan/Esan provinces misses us and heads west and north of us so, except for localised burning off - the majority of which whisks west immediately, we don't get any Air Quality Index warnings. To *live* here and maintain your sanity you'd need a car or speak Thai, or have a partner, or find some pocket of foreigners - there some, I think in Winchianburi, a town another 45km further south from me - or a mix of them all. I moved here, single, to get away from everything and it worked really well. FOR ME. I used Google Translate and my landlady to learn Thai; I bought a car after being here for 18 months, and have since travelled all over the country solo. Overall, though, you're better off down near a tourist area but away from the hubub - The "Dark side" of Pattaya or even Rayong, Phang Nga instead of Phuket; Cha Am instead of Hua Hin; for inland: Nongbua Lamphu instead of Udon Thani or Khon, for example. That way you can experience cleaner air but still maintain proximity to whatever your native language is and be also affordable. No place in Thailand has perfect weather. But here? and Loei? It gets pretty close.

If you're using a foreign bank debit card, why does the "Issuing Bank" show, "BAYA"? BAYA is the code for the Bank of Ayudhya, better known as "Krungsri" (or "The Yellow One" for newcomers and and tourists) Thai banks (generally) don't charge customers of other banks for using their ATMs. They also don't - because they can't get the information from the owner's bank - display the account balance. It's not your slip.

How often? Every meal, every day. I do th vast majority of the preparation as my landlady works. Her daughter is The Officer in Charge of somtam, namjim seafood. I love a laab, and cook the pork belly for my favourite phad gaprow moo grop. Breakfast is generally something from the morning market. Maybe once a month I'll buy a half-loaf of bread and make myself some poached eggs on toast, or toast with Promite or jam for a few breakfasts, just to mix things up a tad. Once every three or four months I'll buy some red wine and a packet of spaghetti from the nearest Lotus and make a Bolognese ragu. When I travel to a tourist area (I'm between four-and-a-half and five hours' drive from anywhere that sells proper foreign food) I usually get some Italian or German food into me.

Same here. Been using them for about eight years. Went from a few hours - which was fine; better than overnight - down to about ten seconds. About a month- six weeks ago it took three hours to arrive. Then back to minutes, if not seconds. However, my last transfer, took from 0645 (when I initiated the transfer) to 1445 (when they finally sent it to my Thai bank) when they sent me message saying it could take "up to fifteen minutes". It didn't arrive until 1000 the next day; Over TWENTY SEVEN HOURS after my intial transfer request. Then I got an email saying my Wise banking details are changing from bank-state-branch (BSB) and account number to a direct banking system account (BSB). The details of which they sent me but it doesn't exist in the BSB system. Very sloppy. Makes me wonder if they've been bought by a bank and are slowly being undermined.