soalbundy

I disagree, the price depends on supply and demand, as demand fell in the US and elsewhere causing prices to fall OPEC decided to cut supply in the expectation this would raise prices but prices still fell because demand (chiefly from car owners) wasn't there, it wasn't there because the public lacks cash to buy. What the supply cuts have done is reduce energy for industry. The reason Germany has entered recession is due to the lack of cheap plentiful supply of energy from Russia. As the major world economies enter recession industry cuts back on production as demand for products falls which causes unemployment which further reduces demand, a vicious cycle that OPEC has only made worse.

At those prices neither would I

Supertramp comes to mind, 'Take the long way home'

Charming I'm sure.

Pretty disgusting behaviour but there are opposite examples. About 15 years ago I went to Ram 1 in Chiang mai for some blood tests, I sat outside the lab, next to me a Thai man. A doctor came and spoke to the Thai man telling him that he needed treatment for cancer (not very private but they probably assumed I couldn't speak Thai). The patient who had been waiting for the results of his tests was devastated when the doc told him the approximate cost would be 400K, he said he couldn't pay that much. The doc said he wasn't to worry they would treat him any way and he could pay in affordable monthly installments.

I'm impressed, speed, agility and good planning.

So what's new in LOS today.

For me it seems to be an island of stability at the moment compared to faranglands problems and I am getting 38.50 Baht to the Euro instead of 34 which it was a few years ago.

According to finance experts one can only be certain of a recession when it's over. Energy prices declining despite the fact that the oil cartel is cutting production is a bad sign, it should be rising, it shows that the consumers lack discretionary spending money because the banks are curtailing money supply through the tightening of credit. Another sign is that despite the coming holiday season retailers are already complaining that spending is down, eg. the sale of toys has dropped 15%, happy Christmas. This will cause a rise in unemployment further down the line. Another worry is that China is exporting deflation due to falling prices at the factory gates and this is more dangerous than high inflation.

I don't think tourists have dropped Thailand but rather the developed world is going through an economic crisis. Germany is already in recession, dragging the rest of Europe with it, the UK, USA, Canada, Australia are basically in recession in all but name, China, Japan and Korea are all in financial trouble with falling exports and a failing domestic market due to demographic problems. The next few years are going to be problematic for all of us, Thailand isn't insulated from the world's economic problems although the broken world trade links with China offers an opportunity for countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia so that it may be that these countries will offer more stability going forward.

However I believe crimes committed abroad can be tried in Germany if those same crimes would be punishable if committed in Germany.

Lot of concerned busy bodies lately. I can imagine there are plenty of small deserted coves along the coast, no need to put your tent in their face so to speak.

The Cheque is in the post.

Only the wimps. Some people like Christmas others don't, each to his own. Christmas is more a cultural thing that needs the right atmosphere than a religious festival, there certainly isn't the right atmosphere in the tropics and snow globes are the kitsch equivalent of garden gnomes.

So this family wont be going to the anti=corruption event, never mind, I'm sure they will be amply represented by giggling officials who all have their ducks in a row.

I suppose they can't fine her for being Chinese.

Going uphill, nose to ar$h, so really slow, call that an accident? Show me something else.

I haven't laughed so much since my wife passed her driving test.

Quite, it's only a rumour, that opposition MP should be facing deformation of reputation charges.

Serious legal action......as opposed to what? Amusing legal action?

Christmas shopping in Thailand?.....Snow globes, good Lord...whatever rocks your boat I suppose.

He should try to see the funny side of it....he got to see the 'Land of Smiles' from a new perspective and got to meet new people.

What! is it Christmas again? I must have missed Easter again then.

A bored nosy concerned trouble making citizen who hates foreigners.......

Look on the bright side, big savings on presents.