sandyf

I wouldn't trust anything where the CIA were involved, it is not like the US would have it in for China, but feel free to go with the minority. From my previous link The lab leak theory emerged early in 2020 and was embraced by President Donald Trump. It gained momentum in May 2021 when 18 scientists, including Worobey, wrote a letter to the journal Science saying all possible origins of the pandemic, including a lab leak, deserve investigation. President Joe Biden then asked his intelligence agencies to investigate. They were unable to reach a consensus. Most favored a natural origin, but two agencies favored a lab origin. None claimed high confidence in their conclusions.

Please tell us what Trump is threatening out of, GREED? His greed to be the global bully boy knows no bounds. Time the Americans woke up and saw what is coming down the pipe.

Conspiracy is like beauty, in the eye of the beholder. The genetic evidence, the new report contends, supports the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 emerged in the same way that SARS-CoV-1 — which sickened people in 2002-2003 but was extinguished before it could cause a full-blown pandemic — is widely believed to have started, from animals sold in a market. The authors contend the world needs to take more aggressive action to shut down the illegal trade in wildlife to lower the risk of another catastrophic pandemic. “All the data [on the origin of the pandemic] currently available point in the same direction, which is the wildlife trade in the Huanan market. Will it put the debate to an end? I’m afraid it’s unlikely,” Débarre said. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/09/19/covid-origin-wuhan-market/

Only a certain mentality divorced from reality would believe that after the war every country in the world rushed out and converted their reserves to USD. If it floats your boat feel free.

Quite. We would have seen the same distorted headline if he had failed to file tax return. Some want to lap it up like blotting paper.

Colour is irrelevant, what really matters is height and air under the covering being able to move.

I had intended that, but when I went the premium service had been suspended due to high demand, not an option at that point in time. Think it was out for about 3 months.

I got married in 2008 and did the first 6 years on ME visas, go back to UK every year. Started marriage extensions in 2014 and a couple of retirements before the embassy threw the toys out of the pram. For one reason or another have had a few new visas during that time, it's no big deal. Each to their own with what's most comfortable. Good luck with passport.

Particularly for some western expats in Thailand. When I first came here, according to some, buying propery using a company with Thai nominee was the more astute way to proceed. Buying in a family name was perceived as having a screw loose. I don't know any personally anymore, all sold up and gone home, but must be some still about.

Indeed, I had booked and paid for mine before I left Thailand, although my slot was still available the day before. Even though 5pm on a Friday evening didn't appear to be popular, still took an hour to be seen, about 6.30 before I came out.

In Sept 23 I went back to the UK to renew my passport and used the one week service. I did it at Liverpool and went reasonably well, new passport in 5 days. The one thing that caught me out was at Liverpool i was told the old passport would probably be about 10 days later than the new passport. That was a bit disconcerting as I had assumed they would come together and the timeframe went past my return to Thailand. I decided to apply for a new visa which only took 48 hours, sod's law being what it is, my old passport came back the day I got the visa. I then had the choice, return on the re-entry permit or the new visa, I decided on the new visa. Came back and did my marriage extension at the 90 days, about same time as original would have expired. No stamp transfer, TM30 or 90 day required, despite what many will imply, there is no "starting over", the process is the same. Depending on your circumstances and whether you already have the re-entry permit, it may be worth considering a new visa.

The Idiocy is someone thinking they could tell the difference between standing under a white roof or a black one.

You can hardly compare Victorian railways to modern day systems, they effectively started with a blank canvas rather than negotiating existing infrastructure. The HSR in the OP is part of the Trans-Asian Railway Agreement, Thailand pays China for materials and expertise.

Not sure what you mean in first sentence.

Your words. "Three decades later, the dollar officially became the world’s reserve currency" Three decades from 1914 would be 1944 and Sterling was the reserve currency.

The reality is it didn't happen as envisaged.

It wasn't as clear cut as many would want to make out. It wasn't until the early 60s that global dollar reserves reached the 50% mark. It was about the same time that the "Triffin Dilemma" came to light slowing down the rise of the USD and also confirming the inability of Sterling to maintain its position. The most definitive marker was probably Nixon in 1971. What was envisaged after the war and what transpired are not quite the same, the transition from Sterling to USD for various reasons was messy and drawn out.

What "system" are you talking about. The one that monitors arrivals/departures or the one that monitors the visa status of those in the Kingdom. Some aspects of the first were suspended and being reintroduced. Immigration has never stopped stamping passports on entry.

You looked in the wrong place, Sterling was still the reserve currency until into the 70s. I remember the start of it's demise, in 1967 Harold Wilson devalued the pound to $2.40, making the UK and the US penny at par. In those days there were 240 pennies in a pound. Although a rapid global switch to the USD was widely predicted after 1945, the end of sterling's reserve role was prolonged until the late 1970s by the structure of the international monetary system and collective global interest in its continuation so that the retirement of sterling as a reserve currency was achieved through negotiated management among the developed and developing world. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229048743_The_Retirement_of_Sterling_as_a_Reserve_Currency_after_1945_Lessons_for_the_US_Dollar#:~:text=Although a rapid global switch,a reserve currency was achieved

The USD is not mandatory in bilateral agreements although it can be the currency of choice. Many Asean countries have bilateral agreements in local currency, as well as countries like Chinal,India, Russia etc. "Everything is priced in USD," is the nonsense.

You didn't say if he passed through Cambodian immigration or not, assuming not. When I used to go to the border every 3 months some moons ago it was to both Ban Laem and Ban Pakard. Can't quite remember which one had a toilet in among the trees of "no man's land", think intended for immigration staff but was used by people from both sides of the border. From what I saw wouldn't have been too difficult for someone to get across if they were that way inclined.

You will enter on the new passport, an old passprt can only be used to prevent a visa exempt stamp.

There is a saying about clouds and silver linings. Although it should never have happened and extremely tragic for the loss of life, it is much better it was destroyed under construction than later, when fully operational with possibly thousands of people inside and in the immediate area. Indications so far would indicate only a matter of time.

A lack of standards has bothered people since time started.

It is all about standards, but you would need to understand what that means.