tjo o tjim

While I would welcome 90 days on arrival, enforcing the 180 days per year (like Europe) is a challenge for many. You end up needing a full liberalization of the rules for things to balance out for everyone. The flip side is the whole tax residence thing.

Based on other sources, the tourists are still active. They just aren't going to Thailand in the same volumes as before. Counting on China to provide more tourists in the near future might be a bit of a challenge.

Simple solution: reduce the size of the senate by 25 seats every month a PM is not selected.

I think he forgot "or else." Side note... interesting there is no tank emoji. Tiananmen Square?

Well, if legal issues are "resolved" I think many of the senators will lose cover to abstain. A big part of me thinks that the government might get a clue-stick and realize the potential for serious long-term impact if the popular vote is ignored.

US Press is back to referring to the current government as a military junta, a term they have been avoiding for years.

Was there the following weekend... we had a little storm pass through and they weren't taking any chances.

Not that anybody here doesn't understand... but there is pretty much zero reason why you should have to go to a Thai Consulate/Embassy for a visa for fairly normal needs. They really should push for 90 days on arrival. We had a 12-month visa before the pandemic, but it was a very stupid hassle-- we had to fly to another city, stay there for 3 days, and pay a silly fee... in order to spend a fairly substantial amount in Thailand over the following year. (We had a 1-year sabbatical.) I can get paying money... but actually going for a physical stamp?! Compare that to how it works in Australia. All electronic, all easy and simple rules...

In the early days (maybe pre-2005 or so) there were plenty of issues on Koh Tao. A few major things improved the situation, from the DAN center originally and actual nurses and doctors living on the island, to better water distribution resulting in a lot less nasty infections. I wasn't there when Colin O'Brady was burnt, but his recovery was likely due to those improvements. Many of the problems with crimes not being solved went to the fact that the police weren't exactly trained as police until much later. It was effectively an honorary appointment. As for Suzanne, well... she had a bit of an axe to grind. Not sure how much that impacted her stoking of flames.

Michael's death was no mystery; he had four concussions, and nobody thought he had any proper insurance and there was a financial concern, so his medevac was delayed and he went to the public hospital rather than the private one. He didn't get the care he needed in time to survive unfortunately. It was a freak accident, the video of it is quite clear. Big Blue was in a bit of chaos from what I understand due to the "inheritance" issues. The aftermath of it all though is the only thing that would make me skeptical of Koh Tao in the least.

IIRC the Indian billionaire couple. One of the suspected suicides was never really investigated either as I recall, but there were several reports that she was depressed and isolated. In the old days though there was definately people disappeared without investigation. It was pre Facebook, pre Mobile Phone, and pre ATM though, so it was easy for people to get "lost" in Thailand. All that said... the average person (myself included) is not going to be privvy to what happens after a death is out of the news cycle.

Presumably "suspicious/unexpected" deaths, right? I'm sure there are at least 50 foreigner motorcycle deaths in that timeline, even if most don't die at the scene. Likely at least 10 scuba fatalities too. No guess on suicides, but there have been a fair number. ...oh, and at least 100 dying because of a coral cut getting infected with their shower water. Kidding on that one...

That family left the island several years ago; the one brother or cousin with a resort named after him is still around, but he was never the problem. They sold their resorts and left at lest 4 years ago. While the particular individual is probably gone too (can't remember his name), he might be living in the hills still in an isolated life of repentence. Pretty sure he is out of the picture though... either way, his protection is gone. Koh Tao has its issues, but the wild west cowboy days are gone. Much of what happens is specifically because of its isolation... but there is a lot of drug and alcohol abuse, especially among long-time residents. Having someone die in their sleep happens... and things that if you could just call an ambulance you would be fine can easily lead to death there. Still one of my favorite places on earth.

I don't get a Thai condo as a way to store assets outside of China. They aren't really that liquid. Sure, it is a good way to have a place outside of China's control (especially for Hong Kong people), at least to a degree-- but does that really do much? As an "investment" renting it out it generally seems even worse, but if it is just for "walking around" money then I guess the rules are different. The airbnb/zero dollar tourist market seems even harder to make work today.

Sodium batteries have been around for a long time in various chemistries. They are getting closer, but not 2023 for changing the world.