TorquayFan

Thanks for the idea N8. I might give that a go but I won't be camping up there !. Soi Dao only 70 km from me at Chan but I'd probably travel up and get the lie of the land, stay locally, and walk the next day. You can drive on the 3391 to the Waterfall, park and trek from there? Thanks again, Roger

When I renewed my Non-O Retirement Visa in Oct 2021 with an agent in Pattaya for the first time, I got 3 months + 12 months to a February renewal date. As for the whys and wherefores of this - don't ask me. I'm just reporting what happened, (I was duly grateful for a 3 month bonus !). Cubism - try this one I noticed https://www.starvisaservice.com/ but if you Google it there's more. Good luck . . . .

"At 11:30 PM, on December 16th, 2023, Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and relevant agencies conducted a field inspection . . . " Surely a field inspection at 3-4.30 am in the morning would have been better to see how this change is working, or not ? I doubt that Anutin stayed for 4 hours or more. It's as crazy as going to check on crowd behaviour at a football match, hours before the game begins. MMmmmm

Ben you are incorrect - the report is about a vehicle fire. The ignoble suggestion was made that a Policeman owning a luxury sedan presupposes corruption. It's reasonable to want to know if it was an EV fire - that's all. We don't know for sure BUT it seems it's probably an ICE fire. ATB

Cheers Ralf - then the 'BMW' would be more likely and IMO, to be an ICE, rather than a hybrid, but I note the possibility. Did you see the burn right through the steel of the bonnet ! Wow ! Have a look at the 'grill' in the second picture? The characteristic BMW centrepiece grill is not evident (to me) - maybe that's a 7 series thing. BUT it does look like the BMW badge on the top in the middle of the bonnet at the front? Cheers ATB

Thanks Ralf. That would make it an ICE then ! I looked at the 2nd pic again - there it doesn't seem to me, to have that characteristic BMW grill in the middle at the front? There is a burn through of the bonnet at front left, (looking forwards from the car).

George, as you don't mention again, I assume you now accept that I did not report your original post. Re. this, 'Again I ask you, what are your qualifications, training and experience on fires and fire investigation?' That's another bit of nonsense. FWIW I have NO such 'qualifications' - but how is that relevant at all ? It's natural enough these days, that the first question which arises when a vehicle catches fire, is whether it's an EV or an ICE. So I wonder why we sometimes cannot be told. That's all.

So many odd comments on this thread. Of course it is a point of interest whether its another ICE fire or an EV. On reflection, I agree with Britscot's comment about the appearance of the fire but anyway it's statistically more likely to be an ICE fire. I don't know why the ICE/EV question is not dealt with in the reports, as if it were a secret. Nothing wrong with a policeman of any rank having a car of that type - as I said before, maybe it's old or maybe he has a loan. Up to him how he spends his money

It has changed this year Guys - Friends who could do the renewal by post before, have to attend with the agent. And a BKK bank a/c is a must. GLA

George I did not report your post so as i said before, grow up ! I have no agenda, though I do wonder why we can't be told the type of vehicle it was.

Jacques - after 10 years of 'doing it myself', I started using James at 'Express Visa Direct' in Pattaya, 3 years ago. He's not cheap at B17K but he does it ALL. I'm not in Pattaya and things have changed a little this year, (Friends with other Agents just the same) - I have to attend the process with him. Going on Feb 2nd coming for the next renewal. For me, it's worth the cost, I don't begrudge it. SO simple now. (Hopefully).

In the first 'still' the car on fire looks like an Accord, Teana or Camry. The flames in the still seem to be going along the road so maybe that's ICE fuel running out before ignition. Smoke looks too grey to be a diesel fire but it's hard to guess. As most people are interested simply in the facts, why don't the reports carry this simple point, ICE (more likely) or EV.

Mr J. Yes the Monkey Bar used to be the 'Check In' with the Heng Band in regular attendance. Stuart who runs it now is a Cornishman but don't let that put you off He knows his cooking OK ! ATB

Tarteso - thanks muchly - I know the Forest Park and its lovely. But I was hoping for somewhere more remote with mountains and jungle . . . . Re. the monkeys -tell me about it ! Was fishing on a pier off that 'Island' a few years ago - due to drive Lamphun the next day - and a monkey, in a crowd that had been jumping off the trees into the sea to swim, slipped from the tree and landed on my Vigo windscreen . . . ! He was fine but the glass wasn't LOL Happy - thanks. I live on Siriporn 2 so that's just down the road from me - I ride there many times, along the canal (flood relief) and then into the old area past the Cathedral - it's great. But I want to be on jungle tracks. BTW there's a private Karaoke/Shop at the Siriporn end of the canal with great Folks. Good for a beer and some chat. Adventure ? I guess it'll be at Soi Dao which is a drive away. Mai pen lai ATB Thanks Guys for replies

'Gloucs live' reports, "a question mark surrounds the exact cause of yesterday's fire, with Avon Fire and Rescue Service stating on Sunday afternoon that "accidental ignition" was to blame. When asked what type of vehicle was responsible for the fire, Bristol Airport said the cause is "not known at this stage". https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/regional-news/mystery-over-bristol-airport-fire-8966687 I really wonder what "accidental ignition" means, (not much more than NO arson is suspected, I guess). Following the Luton fire, the Fire Officer commented the blaze was started by a diesel. Footage from Luton (the DT) showed a Range Rover (?) on fire in the aisle, with flames coming from the position of it's hybrid battery and the flames a different colour from a diesel burn. I haven't seen any further comment from the Fire Brigade beyond that initial comment. Without prejudging Luton, I wonder what happened at Bristol ? At Bristol it was an open air, not a multi-storey car park - might it have been worse? Geoff buys cars and his fellow cynic on the Bristol fire https://youtu.be/E1DsxEU5VJo As for MO, there were plenty of eye witnesses so surely someone SAW which of the 11 cars was burning first. Was it windy - which way did the wind blow - surely it's NOT difficult to know where it started !!

We lived in Ban Pang, (Li-Ban Hong area in Lamphun) for a year or two and we still visit. Then I walked most days around the tracks, (often in the jungle), to the foothills and up the mountains when I can. Last week I managed 19,000 steps up to a JD but at 76 with AF, that's about my limit! I enjoy long walks (without trippers please), and wonder if anyone has ideas about routes to walk, close to Chantaburi if possible?

Christmas Dinner is hard to find but IS available at the 'Monkey Bar' in Korat . . .

JB - if you are not interested and have nothing constructive to say - why post at all ? The post contains new comment . . . . . NOT least that it's about time we were told more by the Fire Service about the Luton and Bristol fires and the alleged PAX to Spain who baled out of a burning car and left it.

Following the Luton fire, the Fire Officer commented the blaze was started by a diesel. But I've also seen footage (the DT) which showed a Range Rover (?) on fire in the aisle, with flames coming from the position of it's hybrid battery and the flames a different colour from a diesel burn. I haven't seen any further comment from the Fire Brigade beyond the initial comment on which the Guardian article was later based. I also read a report of a guy trying to park at Luton for a flight to Spain - he noticed his car on fire so jumped out and left it there, in the aisle and boarded his flight. What to believe, I don't know. Further comment from the Brigade seems overdue. Plastic fuel tanks seem a worrying idea and are thought to have contributed to the the fire at Luton. Whether the fire started in an EV or not, EV's substantially contributed to the spread and intensity of the Luton fire. I've also read that Insurers are recommending that damaged EV's must be spaced with other vehicles excluded in a surrounding diameter of 10 metres (?). The pros and cons of EV are hard to pin down - but the worst of alternatives IMO is Govts incentivising a rush to them - my simple reason for that position being, that in manufacture they generate a much larger environmental load which requires the vehicle to be used for 100,000 km extra, before the load equates to that incurred by making an ICE, (source - Volvo). We have yet to learn whether EV batteries will become a higher or lesser fire hazard as they age . . . A gentle trend towards EV, particularly where they can be accommodated in high pollution urban areas, (BKK and Chiang Mai ?) is an excellent idea - EV's have their place in many ways for sure. But not for long journeys = I've just completed 2x830 km journeys in a Toyota Vigo and didn't have to fill up each until arrival. I have read that 'cars' contribute just 25% of the total CO2 pollution - there are many other aspects to the problem. Footage from the DT re. Luton https://youtu.be/ccF4xOk5ruY A cold look at the Luton disaster from Australia https://youtu.be/Yw_iy37bMxs Geoff buys cars and his fellow cynic on the Bristol fire https://youtu.be/E1DsxEU5VJo There were plenty of eye witnesses so surely someone SAW which of the 11 cars was burning first ! Was it windy - which way did the wind blow - surely it's NOT difficult !! This one will run and run . . . . .

Apparently our 'Pensions' will be 'assessable' to Thai tax under this change from 1.1.2024. As it stands we will be required to file a Return, but the good news is that if we have paid Income Tax in say the UK, that will be deductible from the Thai liability, if any arises. But it'll mean loads of extra paperwork no doubt with recalcitrant Thai tax Folks . . . Reassuringly this Lawyer says the changes are targeting high earners and those Thais holding money overseas, nevertheless, us humble types are at the moment, it seems, likely to be dragged in. The Lawyer cautions wait and see how this unfolds, 19 minutes in . . . As a strategy - I'll be keeping my head down !

I use 'Hola' - £40 for 4 years. It serves me well for BBC iPlayer, ITV X and Channel 4. Any hitches there's a contact function from which, you get a reply! Good value IMO.

The danger with Moderna taking a stranglehold on US/UK Govt. vaccine policy is that something actually better than mRNA might be missed as even with compelling trial data, it becomes harder to challenge conventional wisdom. I've posted before about Scancell a Nottingham based Company who have a DNA based Covid vaccine, (amongst many other things). After shelving 'Covidity', a DNA vaccine, it was picked up for further work by Texas BioMed - they comment, "It’s a big deal. We have inquiries from all over the world. Actually, we had from South Korea, India, France and UK,” Kulkarni said.The research on the DNA COVID vaccine is being done with a company in the UK, and it’s looking very promising. Kulkarni and his team just finished the phase using mice, and he said it was almost 100% effective. There were also no serious side effects. . . . . . . The research team is now waiting for official approval to move into primate studies, hopefully followed by FDA human clinical trials." https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2023/10/02/new-type-of-covid-vaccine-showing-promise-at-texas-biomed/ There's a video here which is worth the watch - fascinating.

I've borrowed this post from a Forum elsewhere but the point is well made about Moderna's cosy relationships in the UK too and how lax rules enable a revolving door culture :- "Did Rishi Sunak benefit from Covid vaccine maker Moderna's stock rise? https://www.businesstoday.in/amp/latest/world/story/did-rishi-sunak-benefit-from-covid-vaccine-maker-modernas-stock-rise-heres-what-the-uk-pm-has-to-say-370386-2023-02-15 Prof Van Tam Moderna - Former Covid medical officer. Van-Tam takes role at vaccine maker Moderna https://amp.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/18/former-covid-medical-officer-van-tam-takes-role-at-vaccine-maker-moderna UK cements 10-year-partnership with Moderna in major boost for vaccines and research. Moderna to invest in mRNA research and development (R&D) in the UK, and build a state-of-the-art vaccine manufacturing centre with the ability to produce up to 250 million vaccines a year. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-cements-10-year-partnership-with-moderna-in-major-boost-for-vaccines-and-research " Nice work if you can get it !

Thanks for that Red - Moderna also seem to have an 'inside track' in the UK.

Hi Grove Hill. Thanks for those comments. FWIW I always FILL my ICE to the brim each time. Can you quickly tell me which battery technology powered the first EV's, also the Tesla, what is the 'new' battery technology being used increasingly now and what is mostly used in Chinese EV's ? I've seen a lot about new battery technology but it seems a way down the line - e.g. Toyota's project. Is the now 'new' technology you refer to, a tweak of the same? Would this 'new' technology in use have a different level of risk re. the rare but intense fires? You can see I'm not up on the subject myself but eager to know. If you have the time. ATB