JimHuaHin

I do not know about now, but 10 years ago I used Allied Pickford to move from Cairns to Hua Hin - no stress. Competitive pricing. Had to go to their Bangkok office with passport and "tax" money. Shipped about 90 boxes and 5 suitcases, and a few paintings - everything arrived undamaged and nothing broken (even glass art works).

I sent a letter from Hua Hin to Adelaide about 6 weeks ago. It took 2 weeks to arrive in Australia - no problems with online tracking, I checked every few days and knew when it left Thailand, and when it was delivered in Ozland.

Keeping financial assets in Australia in different banks is a wise move, and probably provides greater security than having large amounts of money Thai banks.

This does not only happen in Thailand. In Australia in 1986 my mother died; I asked my supervisor for a week off to attend the funeral and get my mother's "affairs in order" (my father had died in 1976, I was their only child; my mother lived about 800 km away from where I was working). My supervisor said we were very very busy at work and I could have a day off. I went to see the staff at my office's personnel section (now probably human resource management), explained my situation to the head of the section. Two hours later I was granted a week's leave.

I think some clarfication is required here. There are two types of Herpes Simplex Virus - HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 used to be (see below) generally found around only the mouth area (and thus generally called oral herpes) and an estimated two-thirds of the global population carry this virus. HSV-2 is generally called genital herpes and is usually found around the anal-genital area, with an estimated about 15% of people aged 15+ having this virus. However, over the last 2 decades or so, an increasing number of cases of HSV-1 have been reported in the genital area amongst people of do not have HSV-2. A person can have HSV, but no symptoms (eg cold sores) but still transmit the virus, called asystomatic transmission.

Thainess is essentially an ideology created decades ago - and subsequently altered and manipulated to deal with contemporary "crises" - by Thailand's power elite in order to enhance a sense of nationality so as to manipulate and control the Thai "masses" (as Emperor Xi is currently doing in China with respect to China's population). While the Thai "masses" are expected to exhibit Thainess, the Thai power elite are the antithesis of Thainess, ie selfish, greedy, corrupt, etc.

Going to China to pay "tribute" to the Chinese overlords?

Possible, I did it. Family moved from Hamilton to Ballarat, Victoria, in the early-mid 1960s. The nearest Catholic school (which had both some primary levels (4-6) and secondary levels) was about 300 metres from home; the next nearest Catholic primary school was about 3-4 kms away. At the time Grade 4 had only 5 students (for memory), and was run in conjuction with Grade 5. Just before I finished Grade 5, parents of the students were informed that Grade 6 would not be offered at the school in the following year - parents had the choice of sending thier children to the other Catholic school (3-4 kms away), or thier children would be put up into Form 1; all parents, including my own, decided on the latter course. Thus, essentially I skipped to 2 levels of primary school, and finished high school just before my 17th birthday. Started university just after I turned 17, and finished all 3rd year exams and got my results before turning 20. But at that time, graduation ceremonies at the university were held in April the year after completion, I had to formally graduate when I was just 20.

This is progress?

He can start by looking in a mirror.

Yes, Prime Minister. With one convicted international drug smuggler in cabinet, several others with various "connections" to Thai marfia families, and still a few others who were charged with serious crimes, but amazingly never convicted (some evidence "disappeared"), we believe you.

Probably an issue of concern for the Royal Thai Army generals, is how much support can they expect from the rank and file soldiers? Just after the election, several media reports noted that in many locations, it appears that the majority of Thai soldiers voted Move Forward. Looking at the social media posts of friends in the Thai military, I also noted that there was a large amount of support for Move Forward. Going back to the immediate post 2014 coup, many soldiers expressed anger with the actions of the Prayut Junta, and some career soldiers I know left the army in disgust.

Correct on all accounts. About a decade ago, I was having lunch with a long-time Thai friend who was at the time amiddle level official in the local provincial administration. She informed me that a new provincial governor had arrived the previous week. His first "meeting", after meeting his new staff, was with the local marfia boss.

I see this problem almost every day in Hua Hin - especially involving people driving luxury cars who seem to think they have a right to park anywhere.. And a few times I have seen cases similiar to the picture above. Some times the worst offenders are farangs. Last year, I parked in a disabled space; I was having problems with walking, and was using a walking stick. A middle aged farang pulled into the space next to me as I was walking to the mall entrance. He easily exited his vehicle with his 20+ something gf/wife, and briskly followed me to mall the entrance. I greeted him, how are you going. "I'm great" was the reply. I responed, "Then why the <deleted> are you parking the disabled area?" "Because, I can, <deleted> off" was the reply.

"Western" logic does not apply in Thailand (except possible amongst Westerners). Thai "thinking" is at odds with "Western thinking". Read Professor Peter A. Jackson's "Capitalism Magic Thailand: Modernity With Enchantment", ISEAS, Singapore, 2022, for an excellent, although at times academically heavy, discussion on this topic (avoid the theoretical chapters if necessary).

The new "elected" Prime Minister has thus far proven that he is a parasitic politician rather than an intelligent businesspeson - the latter appoints the right people to the right position for the benefit of the organisation, the former plays political games to stay in power.

Leave Thailand, stay out of Thai politics - problem solved.

As a foreigner, to do any academic research in Thailand you need to submit a research application (see here https://foreignresearcher.nrct.go.th/index.php?lang=en&mod=home&op=index). However, in my experience, a foreigner who is a member of a local Thai research group, one does not have to seek approval, but technically you need a work permit if in Thailand.

I had minor surgery at King Chulalongkorn University Hospital about 5 years ago - the surgery cost about Baht 20 K. Excellent result and service. But, you certainly need a Thai speaker to help you navigate the system.

A joke or incompetence? More time for the Prayut junta to suck public money from the coffers.

Recently there have been some news items/commentaries about the need to "reform" the Thai system. Now, with another Thai business tycoon at the trough, together with the military and marfia parties, as well as the "deal" with the power elites to allow Taksin to return, maybe there will be more talk of the need for a revolution.

A nice opinion piece, but what reality is the author living in? The Thai people have peacefully voted for change - but the conservative establishment has ignored the voices of the majority of Thais. In recent years the youth of Thailand have protested peacefully (most groups most of the time) - only to have their families intimidated by the Thai conservative security forces (ISOC, etc.); their colleagues and friends imprisoned, and charged under Section 112 (even when protests were not directed at the monarchy). When people are suppressed too much, for too long, when their suffering increases daily, there are only two choices of action open to them - submit or ....

Many many decades ago, when I was a teenager at a Roman Catholic school, the Christian Brothers taught us that every person is deserving of respect. In senior high school, a youngish Catholic priest came to our religious knowledge class, and basically said the same thing. But, he added, respect must also be earned; those who do good for others and the community derserve a higher level of respect than those who harm others. Most of the youth protestors are showing their moral maturity over those political figures who are showing their selfish greed.

Interesting - the red shirt party, which is really a yellowish shirt party, jumps into bed with the 'criminal'/marfia party (which has more connections to organised crime organisations in provincial Thailand than the "Godfather").

Not really surprised. Most of the old Red Shirt leadership of the past 1-2 decades have resigned as the Parties have changed direction. The Pheu Thai Party now is not loner Red Shirt, but Yellow Shirt.