sandyf

Since when was self determination attached to any particular country?

You are wrong, Scotland can be described as an independent country. What it is not is an independent sovereign state. It really is the height of hypocrisy. In 2009 the Westminster government went to court in support of the Kosovo UDI claiming that every country had the right to self determination, but it would appear that does not apply to countries under Westminster rule.

You would have to quote the text from the Referendum Bill that makes that a fact. Of course you can't as Westminster didn't think it through and specify an interval. Westminster set a precedent in the Belfast Agreement of 7 years between referendums on self determination so there is no moral argument against another taking place in Scotland.

The only thing that is simple are those that believe in "simple majority", it is now time to believe in reality. Mr Springford, author of the study, added: “There is a gap between the things politicians want to say about Brexit and what the data tells us. I think it’s become impossible to argue that Brexit has not hurt the UK economy.” https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-cost-uk-gdp-economy-failure-b2246610.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=IND_Morning_Headlines 21-12-2022&utm_term=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP

You may well be right for those that think the cost of living and the winter are unexpected events. The majority were well aware of the subsidies and the approaching winter months ago, The pensioners winter bonus paid about 60% of my mates flight with Qatar.

And you cannot look in isolation, rates are changing globally. The baht was stronger 2 years ago than today, hopefully never back to mid 2019.

Follow the leader. The Bank hiked interest rates on Thursday for the ninth time in a year, to the highest level in 14 years, but told borrowers to prepare for fresh increases in the new year. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/dec/15/bank-of-england-raises-interest-rates-to-35#:~:text=Bank of England raises interest,ninth increase in a year&text=Interest rates,-The Guardian

The same as everywhere else, almost unthinkable.

I may help if you say which office and someone may confirm as there appears to be conflicting views. I have been in the same situation and my office does the 30 days from date of application, but it seems that is not always the case.

I just sent some money from UK to Canada and when I did the payment was told it would take 24 hours and all went as scheduled. A couple of years ago that same payment was almost instant, transfers have become slower and the delays are global, although there may well be variation due to local circumstances.

Not that expensive when the government pays a large chunk of it. In the UK pensioners were given £510. For someone living alone, not a bad idea to shut everything down for 3 months and go away.

Wrong. During the pandemic many returned home and either set up their own business or found other work. There was never any shortage of work, many factories were refurbished during that time. A town not very far from us doubled in size during the pandemic, bit of a pain about 15 minutes longer to get to the airport.

Time will tell, it usually does.

Doesn't mean a great deal. My friend had a bar next to the Police station on beach road, that got cleared to make way for Central. He moved into a new bar complex that had been built on 2nd road. A year later that was demolished and he got divorced. Things go up and down here quicker than the proverbial.

Around here it is nothing more than a symbolic gesture, the parents give it back.

Could be temporary. There used to be one put up in the Avenue at holiday periods.

Take it you found the case challenging.

You are entitled to your opinion but "Freshly cooked and decent portions." doesn't make it good street food. And as for the breakfast, one look and it was obvious abstentsion was the best choice.

You can get a bus from Ekamai bus station, fairly regular and about 100 baht. Best to get off at Robinson, it is fairly central.

Quite. As a sticker in your passport the visa was just another copy. Now the E-visa is separate it has become an inconvenience and a complaint.

There has been a requirement for a long time to show boarding card, how would the IO check what you put on the landing card. In current times with no landing card it would be more of a requirement. Also with the introduction of the E-visa it is not surprising the IO would want to see proof of journey origin. You cannot rule out the possibility of people trying to abuse the E-visa system, can you.

Not what you would call "dining", and anything but normal. Most people take their own food or buy it at stations on the way.

Not yet, been postponed regularly but maybe this time. From January next year, all commercial trains will switch from the old Bangkok station of Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue, explained Nirut Maneephan, State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bang-sue-grand-station-thailands-new-rail-hub-finally-ready-to-roll/

Exactly. Nobody is immune from tragic accidents whether at sea, in the air or on land. Circumstances can build up to create a situation that gets out of control. Investigations need to be carried out, failings identified and blame if any attributed, and the main thing, lessons learned. People come to Thailand and start whinging that they do not see the same standards as where they came from conveniently forgetting the country is many years behind with a much smaller economy. Before passing premature judgement, people should remember the Herald of Free Enterprise. "The ship left harbour with her bow door open, and the sea immediately flooded the decks; within minutes, she was lying on her side in shallow water. " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Herald_of_Free_Enterprise

I will bow to your extensive knowledge but I can assure you that the 2 Courts of Enquiry that I was involved in were anything but "fudged". One was the loss of a Buccaneer and the other a Wessex that crashed, fortunately in both cases there was no loss of life.