itsari

11 hours ago, AlfHuy said:

And all money "borrowed" from loan sharks.

All lenders are sharks when the tide turns against them .

2 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

On line it takes 5 minutes, add another 5 to 10 minutes if you want to keep your paperwork tidy. So, I don't get it ?.. ????

Principle

On 2/20/2021 at 3:02 PM, JTXR said:

For a year I had friends in the U.S. telling me how envious they were of me.  COVID-19 raging everywhere  there and very little here.

Now, almost all my US-based friends in my age group are posting online about receiving their second Moderna or Pfizer jab, while here there's no telling when we'll even start.  How things can change....

If you choose to live in a progressive country such as Thailand what else can you expect . Yet i understand your sentiment . 

1 hour ago, Isaan sailor said:

Central Bank thinks everything will work out just fine in 2021.  Did anyone tell them their currency might be a negative factor?

It has been said that the Central Bank is content with the present tight range of 30 Thai baht to the US dollar . I just wonder who is content in that range and why . I understand Thailand made rules to control foreign loans to avoid the same situation that occurred in the Asian financial crisis of 1997. But it seems that many rules are not adhered to in Thailand so why not the foreign loan rule too .

My thoughts are that any bank that is holding too many non performing loans will not advertise the fact until it is too late . 

I am considering gold or a crypto currency for safety . 

The Thai economy is  expected to improve in 2021 say's the Bank of Thailand . 2021 has not started too well for that to be reality .

3 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Why do you people keep saying Sinovac is inexpensive. It's either THE most expensive or in the top two.   For which, you get the least efficacy. 

 

it is priced at 5 dollars

I think the monkeys should be retrained into more worthwhile work . Plenty of opportunities in the public service .

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I hope Thailand plans on vaccinating more than 3.3% of its population.... 

2 million Sinovac vaccines is a better number than the 150,000 AstraZeneca vaccines ordered. 

 

Importantly, better information beyond the ‘Brazil report’ on the efficacy of the Sinovac vaccine is also important, while better than nothing, 50% is not yet good enough. 

 

Hopefully the promised 26 million vaccines promised by May by the AstraZeneca-Siam Bioscience bilateral production will come through, things have gone very quiet on that front. 

 

The Sinovac vaccine is a lot more important than many of us have given credit for. 

Vaccines in wealthy countries are useless if the virus elsewhere is not controlled and antigenic drift results in such evolution of the virus that existing vaccines have limited efficacy. 

 

The Sinovac vaccine fills a gap, it can be distributed more readily, doesn’t need refrigeration.

Thailand is apparently also developing its own vaccine. 

 

Interesting times, ultimately times where the whole world needs to come together to ensure that primarily those in high risk groups are vaccinated, as soon as they are, we can surely all get back to normal. 

 

 

The sinovac vaccine reduces the severity of covid 19 . That makes the 50 percent effective rate look far more sense . Added with the cost per vaccine ,  the ease of transport and availability all must make  sinovak  to be a wise choice of vaccine for developing countries like Thailand.

On 2/18/2021 at 12:56 AM, heybruce said:

Agreed.  There are many entrepreneurial young Thais who have learned the joy of craft brewing and would love to set up microbreweries.  Some have tried to do so, but to my knowledge the legal hurdles have prevented any of these businesses from succeeding. 

 

Thailand's laws are designed to protect the rich and connected from troublesome upstarts that might eat into profits or (god forbid!) upset the established order.

Wine producing  is a similar situation in the reverse here in Thailand . Meaning that the home produced wine has a large advantage over imported wine on price . Resulting  in a poor  quality of  wine from the Thai producers . 

16 hours ago, dcnx said:

When news broke of 70% of retirees leaving or have already left, that was a good indication. 

Are you serious ? What about the percentage new of retirees arriving ? Much false news out there dcnx

Storm clouds on the horizon

11 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Think there is more to this story, looking at the state of the room the renter looks more like they have gone out to the bins and emptied rubbish into the room to get at the landlady

If that is the only way a person can get back at a landlord then forget about buying property and renting out to make a profit on your investment . Hopefully your thinking is somewhat distorted . I believe you are too quick with your assumptions as i have seen in the past Mr Coleman

I was in to Chiang Mai Immigration office today . I was left with a under consideration stamp and return on the 4th of March 2021 .

My present extension is until the 28th of February 2021 .

The immigration officer  was wanting to check my address given on my TM30 by calling a person i nominated .

Hope this is of help to others 

5 hours ago, dlclark97 said:

The numbers of deaths reported is basically meaningless . Perhaps two separate numbers, those who died on scene and those who died in transit to or in hospital as a result of the accident.  Medical certificates to obtain/renew a driving license or to purchase a new vehicle are also of little value.  The ONLY thing that will ever stop carnage on Thailand's roads is police patrols on the roads stopping motorists driving dangerously before they cause or are in an accident.  Cameras may catch speeders and add to the coffers but do nothing to stop other forms of dangerous driving.  Many also learn to operate a motor vehicle being taught by friends or family members who are themselves dangerous drivers.  Start in ALL schools at about age 10-12 with some serious training to include the laws and why there are laws, what to do when a tire blows, brakes fail, driving through water and many other possibilities.  Prior to getting a license there should be 'on the road' training for several hours with a QUALIFIED teacher. 

What to do when a tyre blows ?? Stop the car and jack up the offending wheel and replace with the spare .

15 hours ago, smiggley said:

A lot of people buy new cars without a drivers licience so shouldn't that be addressed. I personally am partially color blind but that doesn't affect my driving, I still know what sequence the lights change and I have been driving for 45 years without an accident.

Some drivers go without an accident but cause many 

On 2/16/2021 at 5:54 AM, 2112 said:

Hello all, I’ve been a member but haven’t posted much, as I enjoy reading more than posting.

 

When I came across this topic, I felt that I had to write something. Whether it helps 1 person or none is not my goal, I just wished to share my reality. 
 

I started smoking cigarettes in high school. Not a lot, maybe 5 or 6 a day. Once I was graduated school and had a job with lots of extra cash to spend I increased to 1 pack a day. This was around age 20. Then I signed on for the service in 1983.<deleted> EVERYONE smoked, it was the culture. We’d smoke in meetings, smoke aboard the aircraft, in the mess hall, the library.... even the <deleted> gym! During formation breaks, smokers were allowed to fall out and smoke while the other dumbass healthy kids had to stand at parade rest. 
 

Fast forward 15 years. The rules had tightened about smoking so I switched to chewing tobacco Skoal. I chewed a can a day for the next 8 years or so until I retired and returned to cigarettes. 
 

After 30 years service and my retirement, I moved to Bangkok.

 

On a trip to the USA, I incurred a broken leg by a fall at the airport. It was a severe tibial plateau fracture and I had surgery with bone graft and titanium stabilization plates and screws. I still smoked during this, as I spent only a single night in the hospital. 
 

Moving along nearly 2 years later, I consulted A doctor at Bumrungrad Hospital near my home in Bangkok. He recommended that I get the titanium plates removed and also that he repair a torn meniscus that he found on the MRI. I was all for it and we scheduled the surgery immediately. Everything went well and I spent six days in the hospital. I couldn’t leave my floor, I couldn’t go anywhere. The medication they gave me were for healing my knee, which worked really well. However, with those meds and my hospital stay I believe those factors took away the craving to smoke. When I was released from the hospital I had a pack of cigarettes with two left in the pack. So, outside the hospital I sat down and lit up, feeling like “oh, this is gonna be good”, but it was the most disgusting <deleted> thing ever. I coughed and heaved like a schoolboy’s first smoke. I was in shock. I never had any real motivation to quit smoking, I rather enjoyed smoking but apparently my body didn’t like it and somehow, being in the hospital for a few days took all the cravings away.

 

This happened in Aug 2020. I’ve met with friends who smoke when we get together for a Singha or whatever and their smoking doesn’t bother me a bit. 
 

I guess I am lucky. So many people struggle and have miserable experiences. For those of you enduring the struggle, I am wishing all of you the best in your efforts to stop and send blessings that it isn’t too awfully difficult. You CAN do it. 
 

-James

If you stop enjoying why persist . I enjoy a cigarette with a beer and enjoy . 

On 2/14/2021 at 4:30 PM, Kwasaki said:

Well depends on what young age, all I remember is I couldn't leave the table until I eat my vegetables.

 

Later on an older it was beer, eating a tin of cold bake beans out the can, a pork pie and you was all good to go. 

 

I wouldn't think about aging being the person I am, was, when I was younger I was inviciable it was exceptable to smoke and drink at the time but I never did other drugs.

 

As for taking care when you're young I would say it would be good thing if one really thought about getting older.  

That said everyone has various genes and different metabolisms, I guess all I've done is listened to my body. 

I pack up smoking because of coughing and as I got older eased up drinking spirits.

I get my health checked every 4 months at our local govt hospital. 

moderation is the key I think 

6 minutes ago, bermondburi said:

Ferrang, Parma, Negro, Khehk, Check? 

 

Should have a vote on the most popular to be called. 

 

I know which ones I don't want to be called. 

Farrang maybe?

1 minute ago, Cake Monster said:

This was how the slang word " Farang " came to be.

People with White Skin have been called Farang because of our Skin Colour, and Thais seem to relish the fact that the Guava Fruit Flesh is the white colour also.

Farang means the flesh of the Guava Fruit and is ripe for feasting on in many ways in Thailand.

Farang Set is I believe the name of a Frenchman . 

Just now, Muzzique said:

 

Then go live somewhere else.

 

It's their country and they can call you what they like. 

 

Stop whingeing and focus on something more important.

 

I will choose to leave this country if the labelling gets too much . Yet I am sure I can cope . All countries can improve with there old habits . 

I wish to add to your inquiry if it is offensive to refer to somebody as farang . I have lived here six years yet I hear my neighbor's still refer to me as a farang . Yet they do know my name . I consider being named  as a farang rather than my name offensive . But i do understand that Thai people are brought up that way . I have questioned many Thais why they do this when Farang is not all that precise only in that you are not Asian . They do not understand , simple as that . Take a life time to change there ways . My expected life time is not long enough to see change . 

Tuk tuks and buses are on thing , what is more important is the state of the banks that are behind all this idle merchandise . That will be too hard to find out before it is too late . 

4 hours ago, drbrit said:

Encouraging words, but I would welcome clarity on *how* they identify foreigners 'residing' in Thailand.  I hope that doesn't mean people with PR.  Will it be those on a non-O, non-OA, non-B, taxpayers etc...

Covid 19 has no preference to what type of visa you have . Main thing is to inoculate as many people as possible . Good sense is  prevailing thankfully .