simon43

Social media is full of conspiracy theories about vaccine safety, men never landed on the moon, mobile phone masts are dangerous, trump is not mentally deranged etc etc. These pages often have large numbers of followers (= $$$ for the originator of the theory). Many of these followers either accept the conspiracy theory at face value, or do not have the mental intellect to consider the scientific facts to support/dismiss the claim, or they exaggerate the statistical data far in excess of what the scientific data states. Yes, some few people (statistically) have side-effects from vaccinations, and even fewer people die from the side-effects. That is a fact of life. But statistically, the numbers are so minute, and the proven benefit of these vaccinations so great, that it makes no sense (to me) for someone to actively refuse such a vaccination. Now if you believe that the pushing of Covid vax is some kind of Big Pharma, Bill Gates, Illuminati etc plan, then of course you are free to believe that 🙂

I am fully aware that vaccination doesn't stop virus transmission. But I am aware that those who have been vaccinated against Covid and who become infected with the virus are much more likely to have only mild symptoms, compared to the unvaccinated. As to your other post, no vaccine is 100% safe, and often the lower risk path has to be followed, compared to the higher risk path. Personally, I am very happy (as an older person with a chronic lung illness) that I had an AZ vaccination and booster, and then Moderna and Pfizer boosters in the following years. I recognise the importance of ALL vaccinations as a means of reducing infection/morbidity etc, and I accept the very small risk that goes with having ANY vaccination.

How many people have died or been inured as a direct result of the vaccination? If someone is vaccinated and then dies (either from Covid or from some other cause), did they die as a direct result of receiving that vaccination? I asked my friend Dr Google about this data for the UK, but it was difficult to find any 'hard facts'. All I found was a medical report that stated that 334 people had made claims for death of a relative as a direct result of receiving a Covid vaccination. That report also states: According to data from the Office for National Statistics, 52 people in England and Wales have died from the Covid-19 vaccine, whereas around 160,000 have died from Covid-19 between March 2020 and December 2022. So my maths says that 52 out of 160,000 = 0.0325%, A very small %, but obviously bad news if you are one of the very few affected by this vaccination. Report: https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-politics-2023-3-uk-has-received-334-damage-claims-for-covid-jab-deaths/

I agree that people should not be forced into having a Covid (or any other) vaccination, unless that person then poses an infection risk for others. Everyone has the right to control their own destiny - look at all those who refused a Covid vaccination and then publically stated on their death bed as they died from the effects of Covid that they wished that they had been vaccinated. It was their choice. As to the very small risk of a side-effect from the AZ vaccination, this is no different from any other vaccination or medication. There will always be side-effects, sometimes serious side-effects on a very small % of those who take the medication. You to have to weigh up the risks. Look at the situation in the UK where polio and childhood ailments such as measles, whooping cough etc are on the increase because of the reticence of some parents to allow their offspring to have a vaccination that has proven very safe over many decades.

As someone who has lived (and taught) in/from Laos for years, I'm unsure why you call the country a sh*t hole. What's the problem? Are you referring to the people? I certainly can't agree with you.

And if you're in the UK, then you can claim disability allowance and not have to work... 🙂

I got pulled up at Istanbul Airport a few years ago when my laptop and back-pack sent the cocaine detector off the scale! When I told the customs officer that I lived in Burma, he laughed and said 'Ah, everything from Burma is covered in cocaine, clothes, money, everything....", and he let me into the country with no further investigation 🙂

That's because of all the Turkish barbers in the UK who aren't really barbers at all... 🙂

No idea! I'm certainly not opening an Instagram URL!

GG, if you want this problem to go away, I suggest you remove your profile from Grindr... 🙂

If she really makes your life a misery, then if it is possible, simply up and move to somewhere else in Thailand/Asia and cut all ties with her. Many years ago, after having 'problems' with my mad ex#2, I simply upped and went to work in Burma, knowing that a Thai women would not follow me there. It worked and I remained teaching in Burma for many enjoyable years 🙂

Not necessarily..... 🙂

When I first moved to Phuket about 22 years ago, I built a small airport hotel and employed 'Bert', a young Thai man who was hardworking. One day he rode his motorcycle along a road in nearby Nai Yang village. Another young Thai man rode alongside and shot him dead. It transpired that Bert's girlfriend had been carrying on behind his back with this other man and they both transpired to kill Bert. The local police investigated but made no charges. Every time that I saw Bert's girlfriend after that event, I would look her straight in the eye. She knew that I knew.....

I do recall many years ago at my wedding in Issan that me and the bride had to quickly evacuate the party when the shooting started (not at me I hasten to add!)....

I'm fairly sure that the academic lecturers at Chula do not 'moonlight' at Chula Hospital 🙂

UCL - Master's in Microwaves & Modern Optics (space science) Chula - Studied for an MA in Thai Studies, but I will be honest and say that I only studied 'for fun' and I was not awarded the actual certificate at the end because it carried a $2,000 fee for that bit of paper!! (You farang - you pay more!!)

Well, it is to do with both 🙂. Solids expand as they are heated. The expansion coefficient of steel is about 14 * 10^-6 and for concrete it is about 10 * 10^-6. So both are expanding... For the steel rails, this expansion can be managed by using expansion joints, but I guess it's not so easy with the concrete sleepers.

I'm proud to be a post-graduate of both Chulalongkorn and UCL (London University) 🙂

Hmm, but perhaps saying all these things 'on film' whilst living in Thailand was not the brightest of ideas 🙂

Well, I watched that video and concluded that he is either mentally-deranged, or his brain has turned to soup due to drugs, or a combination of both.....

He seems to have made the mistake to assume that there is freedom of speech in Thailand. He's from the UK and what you can say and do in the UK is light years ahead of what you can say and do in Thailand. Accept that or shut up.

Very safe and very effective! Note that the report says 'a very rare adverse event... According to Dr Google, your chance of getting this adverse event are about 0.003%

The students taking part in this violent process should be informed that their positions as students has been cancelled by the university, and no fee refunds, and that since they are students no longer, that they are trespassing on campus and liable for arrest and prosecution.

Update: My thanks to AN for adding a photo of Rick Brown to this news article 🙂

My maths is pretty basic, but receiving a total of 200 million baht from monthly payments of 159,000 baht maximum would take more than 104 years....