simon43

I posted last February about my encounter and getting stung by a box jellyfish in Koh Phangan (Chaloklam), and how I consider myself lucky to be alive!

Huh? Help me out in what way? :) I read the article in the newspaper and posted a link in my thread. Your link is just to the same article!

Spotted in The Guardian newspaper: A medical evacuation flight from Utapao to Russia crashed in Afghanistan, killing 2 of the 6 persons on board. The plane was carrying a Russian woman and her husband. Link here if it's allowed by the rules: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/21/private-jet-crash-afghanistan-thailand-russia

My parents in the UK brought me up to never (EVER!) drop litter, and I would get a heavy slap if I dared to drop any litter, no matter how small. Therefore, I never drop litter and carry it around with me until I find a litter bin, or I take it home with me. I have no time for anyone who litters. The local kids in my village learnt pretty quickly never to drop any litter on my property (I drowned them in the swimming pool....). Now I just have to persuade the hens not to crap in the pool as well!

In another 'life' I used to operate a 'sex-chat' SMS service using my AI chat software. This was before the internet was mainstream and the place to advertise the service was in the top-shelf porn mags published by Goldstar Publications. They advised me that their most popular titles were not the young (18+) models, but was actually titles featuring grandmothers (and possibly great-grandmothers) being 'serviced' by well-hung and young black studs!!

Thanks but I don't have any problems with my lung capacity. Previous x-rays etc find no shadows in my lungs and my lung capacity is fine (I jog and walk 5km every day). The issue is upper respiratory tract infections leading to chronic bronchitus.

My lungs are always somewhat 'fragile', and I have had many cases of pneumonia in the past. Nowadays I have had both types of pneumonia vaccine (longterm cover), as well as an annual flu vaccine. But I still suffer from regular bronchitis events. I have read that there is now an oral NTHi vaccine for bronchitis and I wondered if it is available in Thailand, possibly by pre-ordering it from a private hospital. I'm trying to protect my lungs/respiratory tract from infections, particularly because I usually live in rather remote regions (Laos/Myanmar).

Excellent news!

I find it very strange. When I lived in Thailand, indeed I found many dogs to be a problem. I had to carry a stick when I went for a morning walk. They barked continuously and were aggressive and were a real threat to my health! Now I live in Laos and there are many street dogs. But these dogs don't bark and are not aggressive!! Why?

speedify.com - allows you to combine different internet connections :)

I go to a gym that is 200 meters from my home. Costs about $14 USD per month, opens at 6am. Why on earth would it not be safe to walk at night? This is Luang Prabang, not Slough :) In all honestly, I'm a very antisocial sort of chap. I generally avoid interacting with any westerners because from experience I've found them to be mad or bad or skint. I only make an exception for an old French guy in my village because he doesn't speak English or Lao and I speak those and of course French as well. It's not his fault that he's French! :) There are annual visas available. The 'legal' visa is a business visa and work permit for those that are working. The visa that is also issued by immigration is an annual business visa with no work permit (this is what I have, intended for retired people who do not 'rock the boat'). I walk a tightrope on that point 'cos of my radio ham activities! As to Vang Vieng, it's great for a holiday but a sh*thole (IMHO) to stay long-term. The availability of suitable houses to rent is about zero (I looked), and there are no decent supermarkets etc. There is the disused Vietnam war runway that cuts right through the town.... It's a town organised for holidays, not for expats. [quote] ... A few years ago the local government decided to close down some of the bars that lined the shores of the Mekong River and the notorious parties stopped ... [/quote] Nam Song river, not the Mekong :)

[quote] ... But more seriously, how can you have 280 one on one students? Even if you work 24/7, it means each student gets one hour with your every 11 days. More realistically, 6 hours/day, 5 days a week, each student "sees" you for one hour every 9 weeks. I don't think they can learn much. ... [/quote] Some students have a lesson every day, some book a lesson every few days, some book once a week, some once a month etc. The bottom line is that I teach 7 days a week, (including Christmas Day!), and often teach late at night for students based in faraway time-zones. It seems that science (or at least the eccentric way that I teach it!), is popular amongst young students all over the world. As for my death, my private medical insurance includes a death-by-any-cause payout of $10,000 USD to cover any funeral costs, (so that's an expensive box of matches!).

The roosters are very considerate and don't start crowing until 5.30am :) Prior to that hour I try not to wake them when my BPH has me 'going...'

I've never lived in Vientiane (and nor would I want to!). When living in Laos I have always lived in Luang Prabang, (where I am now). If you want to judge the city by its graffiti then I have never seen any graffiti in Luang Prabang.... This is a quiet place (I think they still operate a curfew at night). Most people are in bed by 9pm and up at 6am. It's not for party-goers or mongers.

Warm/hot and humid climate, healthy food, daily exercise, lungs are happy :)

Ah, I had no choice. I got aspergillosis lung disease which was exacerbated in the UK climate. It improved dramatically in the Thai climate. So I placed my health over my job and left the UK. I worked for about 12 years building small hotels in sunny Phuket. Then I did a final career flip and taught science at schools mostly in Myanmar. I have taught science online for the past 4 years or so and am just 18 months away from my pension :) As for the satellite work, I still do this as my hobby as a radio amateur, building equipment to receive weather satellite images etc.

I studied for 7 years to be a space scientist (4 years technician courses, 2 years degree, 1 year master's degree). I had a very enjoyable career designing bits for satellites but unfortunately when I moved to Thailand in 2002 there were no jobs for rocket scientists (at least not foreign ones...)

I moved to live in Thailand from about 2002. I had a good teacher who helped me to learn to read and write and speak the language to a reasonable level. From 2002 up to about 2018 I was able to use my Thai language skills on a daily basis, typically 90% of my everyday conversation was using Thai. But I also spent time teaching in both Laos and Myanmar, so I started to learn to read/write/speak both Lao and Burmese languages. Nowadays I live in Laos and therefore apart from my online teaching using English, I only speak Lao each day (and some French to communicate with an old French guy in my village!). But I rarely use Thai language unless I'm speaking on the phone to my old wives in Thailand, and then the phrases I use are typically limited to "I have no money" or "you are still mad...". I plan to return to live in Myanmar in the next few years (I'm banned from entering the country by the military right now, but hopefully the junta will fall in the next few years). So I'm busy improving my Burmese language skills. But I don't want to forget my Thai language knowledge! I know that there are many online resources for learning Thai. But is there - for example - an online radio station or resource that provides the news in slow Thai (I know slow English news is provided by the Voice of America VOA for those learning English). What would be the best way to maintain my spoken/ reading/writing skills in Thai when I'm not living in Thailand? (Absolutely do NOT suggest marrying another Thai women again!). Thanks :)

Luang Prabang, north Laos (because the military chaps wouldn't let me back into Myanmar last year after a weekend trip to Bangkok!)

On one side are a family who raise chickens and ducks On t'other side is a family who raise chickens and ducks The chickens and ducks spend their leisure time in my garden in the middle! Happily, I have no problems with these birds - the roosters are an alarm clock for me. I'd rather have noisy birds than noisy neighbours :)

Crew? Are you sure? :)

Off-topic for this thread, but very briefly my annual 'retirement' visa costs about $700 USD, with no financial/savings requirements needed. I say 'retirement' visa because there is no such thing really, but the immigration department are happy to give me an annual business visa with 'no work allowed' stamped across it!

On the contrary, I realised many years ago that money does not buy happiness. I used to be a $ millionaire, but nowadays my total assets are probably less than 1 million baht. Has that made me want to top my self? Absolutely not!! I have more than enough money for my needs, including renting a big house and garden, paying for private medical insurance etc etc. I have zero debts and no liabilities. I live in a beautiful and cheap location (Luang Prabang) and have to pay no personal tax, no council tax etc etc. My daily spend on food, petrol etc is less than 500 baht. I have an enjoyable hobby (ham radio) and have a daily income from teaching science online (I have about 280 private 1-1 students across the world). My health is reasonably good and I kicked my 3 ex wives into touch yonks ago! Given all the above, who should top themselves? Me or you? :)

There are only 3 things that my neighbours and friends need to know: 1 - I have no money 2 - The matches are in the top drawer in the kitchen 3 - After using 2) to incinerate me, bin day is on Fridays :) Life is so much more simple when you have no money and no family who cares about you! :)

I would have told her to get out as soon as she said "You can't use that door".... (Having said that, I did make changes [about 20 years ago] to my first small hotel bathroom layout when my mad ex #2 told me that I couldn't have toilets facing north - nowadays I ... er ... poo,poo such talk!)