ronnie50

Well that's what it is, in'it. Do you disagree that it's the most whined about bank on this site?

I've had bad vibes about Bangkok Bank from the first time I went into a main branch in Bangkok 20+ years ago. It was an unfriendly feeling - sort of cold, unhelpful reaction from the staff. So I took my business (and continue to patronize) SCB and Kasikorn banks. Anecdotally, Bangkok Bank continues to be the bank that foreigners complain about the most. I don't see (even on AN) many (if any) complaints about SCB or Kasikorn or Krungthai unless they are complaints relating to imposition of irritating government rules like restrictions on transfer amounts, intrusive ID requirements, etc. But those are universal. At Bangkok Bank, there just seems to be a low-level hostility to foreigners - and that signaling must come from high up in the bank's boardroom. While there might be no connection to the issue of foreigners, for those unaware, that bank was also singled out by the Red Shirts years ago during their street protests and some branches were vandalized, but, to my knowledge, no other banks were targeted. I don't remember why.

A few million Black guys would probably raise their hands.

I find it hard to blame Gazans for electing Hamas back then. The Palestinian Authority was then (and still is) a useless, toothless organization. In reality, it's Israel's 'Uncle Tom' - that just complains about the illegal settlements built by American and South African Jews, wrings its hands a bit, and then that's it. Imagine living in Gaza even before this war crime of Israel. A hellish nightmare - like too many birds in a cage.

Yeah, why do some members do that. Weird. Just don't like the poster or what? It's stalking really.

One of my favorites, for sure in regional travel - less sure about longhaul, but I know they are working toward that by getting rid of the A380 whales. Food is really good most of the time. But Singapore Airlines and Cathay are still superior longhaul, even though I don't really like HKIA. Japan Airlines flight crews are really good and attentive - but the airline itself has too few destinations. ANA is supposed to be excellent, but I only flew them once a long time ago. I do have trouble believing THAI made that much money in Q2 - regardless of the workarounds they made to cut costs.

They needed to shuffle through the deck of Thai Miss this-or-that to find one that isn't a luuk-kreung (half farang).

Lotus's is cheaper for some things, that's true - and they have good fresh veg. But their selection, in general, of almost everything else is inferior to Big C and that change happened after the handover from Tesco Lotus. Now the aisles are filled mostly with tetrapak UHT drinks. I used to go to Tesco Lotus quite regularly, but Lotus's I've given up on. Big C was smart to keep some of the products that Carefour used to sell (even if not that brand name - similar items from Europe like cheese and other things).

It's political. It always is with your country (regardless of who is in the WH, though now it's so much worse). The U.S. of A. only indicts internationals it doesn't like. Venezuela and Cuba always in the crosshairs of U.S. harrasment. Now Brazil. I mean Brazil FFS? Trump doesn't like Lula, or their judicial system's treatment of the last weirdo president before Lula. So Trump dumps a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports. Purely spiteful international 'relations'. The 35% tariff on Canada is another example of spite or jealousy or both.

Google is your friend.

Yes, that's pretty clear isn't it - and annexation of both was probably always the plan - long before the surprise attack by Hamas. By the way, why is this section called 'The War in Israel'? What war is happening in Israel?

It was always nonsense. You still livin' out your past days in 'Nam or sumthin? (at least you indicate Issan, instead of Chiang Mai like the rest of 'them Nam geriatrics')

Regarding people who ask for advice without enough info - I see this everyday in the Bangkok Expats forum on Facebook. Usually posted as Annonymous too. "Where can I buy a curling iron?"

Big C has always been the better deal - on everything - compared to that 'expat' shop. That expat shop typically charges 20% more for almost everything unless it's offering something on sale. It does have a better selection of western foods, but frankly I'm not going to pay 400 baht for a U.S. imported version of corn flakes when I can pay 89 baht for the SE Asia made of the same brand. And I'm not interested in Trix.. It would be great if Big C would offer even more, but it's my go-to place every week. The 'expat' place only if I want a reasonable steak or something Big C doesn't have.

It's just the beginning of course. But this is why Trump is constantly berating the head of the Fed to lower interest rates immediately. First, they aren't high compared to historical rates. But everyone knows that. So why is Trump so focused on interest rates? He's panicking because as these prices increase in supermarkets and other places continue - and then accelerate - inflation will quickly start to rise too. And when that happens there's no chance of the Fed dropping rates - if anything the Fed will raise the rates if inflation hits 5% or more. So much for GOP midterms or the next Presidential election if that happens, because the country will be in recession by the latter.

It's nonsense and you probably know it.

..or those already here will just wait and do nothing. Head down. That's my strategy for now, anyway. May the limbo continue.

Should the US send bounty hunters after Putin and Xi - aren't they also 'heinous commies'?

So if state-sponsored bounty hunting of Heads of State is now on the table and fair game - can someone start a Go Fund Me to get Netanyahu onto a plane bound for a prison cell - or Putin? Maybe Venezuela could reciprocate to Blondie with a bounty offer for Chump? It's a joke - but only sort of. Going down the road of state-sponsored bounty hunting of other Heads of State - just 'cause they don't like the guy - is frankly unhinged and sets a very, very bad precedent.

All the posts about beer prices in Pattaya and Jomtien are pointless comparisons to Bangkok. The rents/leases for all businesses here (including bars) are going to be much, much higher in Bangkok than Chonburi. Overheads too. Thus higher prices for beer and everything else. The price of a pint of Stella in Bangkok would make your eyes water - but you probably can't find that in Patters. In fact, haven't been there for a while, but I bet Heineken draft is a bit hard to track down there too, unless you go to a pub.

And much better tasting too..

I have what they call 'mild' hiatal hernia, and have had acid reflux since my 20s. I take the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like Nexium. Only way to daignose it for sure is with the endoscopy, and any other doctor is just guessing from your symptoms. PPIs are risky though. A lot of mounting evidence that they weaken your stomach/small intestine's ability to absorb vitamins (over many years) - but doctors still hand them out like candy because they do work to get rid of the reflux. (BTW - you can have acid reflux without a hiatus hernia).

I walk 4.5 Km each morning. Then do a light resistance workout for 30 minutes in the condo's fitness room (too small to call it a 'gym'). Weight and BMI very good (diet changed too and helped to lose 9 kilograms over 5 months). My BP averages 109/71, but my heart rate is in the higher end of normal due to some stiff artery issues (that part is not good). Haven't smoked in more than 25 years and cut back on booze to once a week. I feel good. I actually do believe that if you need BP meds or lipid meds you should take them, but only if you are consistently above 140/80. That's my own view anyway. Regarding the lipid meds, if you're over 50 you may wish to consider taking the CT CAC Calcium scan you see advertised by all the private hospitals here. Non-invasive and only takes a few minutes. It will give you a much truer picture of your heart health than anything else. Then you can decide if you want to take the lipid meds.

Not just BP standards either. I was surpirsed to learn some time ago that Western and Asian BMIs are scored differently. A Thai doctor explained to me that Westerners tend to have more muscle mass per kilo than Asians, with the latter typically having a bit more fat than muscle, so the BMI cutoff is higher for Westerners (seem counterintuitive, but that's what I was told). Muscle weighs more than fat or so they say. But I'm sure any Asian man or woman who works out in a gym each day might fall into the Western BMI range too.

Okay, I get your point. But I'm not diving back into the archives of Buddy Holly or Bill Haily and the Comets either. To me, maybe my age, rock (by that I refer to hard rock and filling arenas and selling millions of albulms to die-hard fans) begins with cream/Zeppelin and goes through the 70's and 80's where it starts to be challenged by other genres like new wave, disco, punk, (and pop music - which expands exponentially propelled by the recording industry and radio). The point of the thread is what happened to rock - I've been giving my perspective from my age group. Late boomers I guess? But others may have different views.