gomangosteen

A common misunderstanding between psychiatry and psychology.

A psychiatrist is firstly a medical practitioner (doctor) completing 5-6 years medical studies, internship, two years as a Junior House Officer satisfactorily completing 8 three month placements in a mix of surgical and medical runs (eg paediatrics, ED, O&G, surgery, psych, etc).

Followed by 1-2 years as a Senior House Officer six month placements (often longer), then becoming a Registrar which leads towards their chosen specialist career path.

In the case of Psychiatry - application and acceptance and a further five year training program. Application is a competitive process for all specialties some registrar's miss out year after year.

In my exp few doctors do this without taking a significant break, 6-12 months taken as leave without pay is common as there's limited opportunity to take any lengthy holiday especially during those three month placements where there are minimum attendance days towards gaining a pass.

So the first step for OP is attaining high enough quals to apply for highly competitive medical school acceptance. 

As if!

My best re-invention is "I'm not working any more"

Over Xmas-NY received many messages from former colleagues and work contacts in New Zealand & Australia, several suggested along the lines of "you must be missing work", two from recruitment agencies offering me short-term contracts as I'd worked for them in the past, one offer to work remotely here.

A "thanks but no thanks, no longer available". Decided a long time ago I wouldn't be working full-time beyond middle-age, can't understand the people I know / have worked with still employed while receiving superannuation. And then they die.

Eleven houses all built 2016-18, none have changed hands all in original ownership. Ours was #9, completed April 2018.

Three are 'absentee' owners from Bangkok, who use their houses as holiday homes, investment maybe, they're a mystery to us.

We're one of just two on the left side, ours a corner section adjoining a vacant block which is our jungle, left it wild, trees and a pond, squirrels, water birds and rumour of a water monitor I've never seen.

Furthest house has three kids under 12 otherwise ours the only younger ones; a single school teacher, a couple who work at the tessaban, others retired. 

Quiet, no through traffic, sited 300m back from the road. Two cats, two dogs one of whom has the ability to bark. 

We'd lived in the area since 2011 at two locations, had a good vision of where, and how, we wanted to live, smallish house that will be easy to lock and leave when we want to travel though at present that's ok with daughters old enough.

All good neighbours, respectful, and friendly. Previous place (rented) was just as good, last house of seven in a short no-exit we tried to buy but not for sale. 2013 we'd bought and developed a section about 8km away but regretted the location and re-sold as bare land, too remote and on the wrong side of Sukhumvit Rd 

These things take time.

39 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

Yet the OP clearly gives the photo credit to India Today, for anyone who cares to read it.

Agree.

In future I will get all my local Thailand news accompanied by relevant Indian photos from India Today rather than reading my usual Thai language news sites.

12 January 2024. Fishing at Paknam Laem Sing with the 1060m Taksin Maharat bridge across the Chanthaburi river as background; Sunday 7th Jan we competed in a running event with start finish on this side which involved a bridge crossing, scenic sunrise running. 

On the bridge

Eastern Thailand: Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Prachin Buri, Rayong, Sa Kaeo, Trat

No change for 2024 except the HTMS Phosamton / HMS Minstrel may be a few cm more embedded in the riverbed

and from 09/04/1947

Minesweeper HMS Minstrel at Naval Dockyard, Singapore, during its handover ceremony from British Royal Navy to Royal Thai Navy
 

Some further info from Khaosod - appears that Hamish wasn't overly concerned:

Quote

According to the preliminary inquiry, Ms. Chatchaya had a quarrel with Mr. Hamish, her 40-year-old New Zealand boyfriend, at the pool around 1:40 p.m. on January 6.

Following that, this man carried Ms. Chatchaya, who was unconscious, downstairs and asked the hotel staff to call an ambulance. 

Mr. Hamish went back up to have a shower and returned to notify the hotel personnel that he would visit his girlfriend at Patong Hospital to check on her condition.

That time was almost half an hour after the incident occurred.

46 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

They seem to prefer Ban Laem to Ban Pakard. 

I've used both previously (from Chanthaburi) there is a 5km distance difference.

Ban Laem is 5km further - my guess is as it's the bigger border crossing, more staff, faster processing.

10 minutes ago, degodasilva said:

 

Very helpful, thank you.

 

Do you have any idea what kind of times they leave Pattaya?

Worth making a call, we've used them several times, prefer the 4pm Pattaya departure which is the last of the day but on one occasion 2pm was latest - but maybe due to driver not available, still, save some time by giving them a call.

In terms of minivan drivers, the ones we've had have always been ok.

Not due for completion until late 2024, the International Mangrove Botanical Gardens at Samet Ngam, Chanthaburi. 

Dedicated to Rama IX; at present many of the trails through the mangroves are accessible, as is one observation tower, but the raised walkways remain a work in progress. 

We went on Sunday, just a couple of electricians working on site.

Eastern Thailand: Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Prachin Buri, Rayong, Sa Kaeo, Trat

When we lived in Sa Kaeo we visited Pang Sida National Park and got permission at the ranger station to take the dirt trail a further 20km on our motorbike.

Given a briefing about conditions, and what must have been his all-time best joke, told us to keep the windows up, and if we saw a tiger take photos and note the location.

It was only after returning home we found that it wasn't completely a joke.

From the Thai National Park website: Some of the interesting mammals of Pang Sida are; elephants, tigers, marbled-cats, gaurs ... and so on.

And a bonus photo!

Highway 317 heading north towards Soi Dao.

Many a foreigner will have been through here Pong Nam Ron to go east to the Cambodian border crossing at Ban Pakkard or Ban Laem.

Khao Soi Dao Tai is its highest peak at 1,675 metres (5,495 ft).

Minus the cloud

1 hour ago, MangoKorat said:

Is anyone familiar with highway 317 from Nakhon Ratchasima to Trat?  Looks like a decent - ish road, some dual carriageway some just normal roads.  Any problems that anyone knows of?

Hi

Can't help you with the whole route, but we travel the Sa Kaeo - Chanthaburi section of 317 fairly often, most recently 4 December. 

No issues, been hugely improved in the time we've lived here, for years there were roadworks from Makham towards Pong Nam Ton but all all finished now.

If time not of importance, go past Sa Kaeo and take a right/south on highway 3395, slower, more scenic, less traffic.

You bypass Chan city, intersection Chanthaburi to Trat puts you on Sukhumvit #3 to Trat, good road.

As both roads are the main transport routes in the region, there will be trucks. Going north from Chan there some long inclines up to Soi Dao area the trucks crawl along - as with everywhere, just a little patience required.

There are two permanent army checkpoints but in our (now 13) years here we have only ever been properly stopped once - and that was to check my wife as being Thai and that maybe I wasn't smuggling her in from Cambodia. Other times just a smile and waved through.

No shortage of fuel stations and Amazon cafes along the way.

Happy travels.

1 hour ago, Cricky said:

I can't remember ever handing over my drivers/riders license for any of the vehicles (cars or bikes) I've bought.

 

The dealers has only asked for CofR

 

Neither can I.

But:

Latest motorbike purchase - 19 December 2023 Honda dealer had a checklist of documents for me to provide:

Passport, ID Card & yellow house book (or letter from Immigration), Thai motorcycle licence.

I changed dealer due to a better deal, but the first one (also Honda) had the same checklist for purchase.

As they will complete the new vehicle registration on my behalf I presume that's the current requirements. 

Last one I bought was 2013 don't remember what they needed back then.

Maybe like the new bank requirements things have changed recently? There does seem quite an obsession with proof of identity lately. As others have mentioned I don't see why an owner should necessarily hold a licence, but that was my experience two weeks ago.

The issue of the restaurant/ cafe and associated building has been resolved. All demolished and site cleared this week, I visited the site yesterday.

The whole construction was not legal, not consented / permitted and this could not be done retrospectively as was in breach of the minimum 12 metres from the clifftop requirements - it was built to the clifftop and in places extended over the edge, they were given until 30 December to demolish it all.

So maybe there was no 'winner' in the family dispute over ownership, and who paid for the demolition?

Beware the Drop (almost) it's loose stones near the edge don't get too close

There's now a coffee caravan and awning area for hot / cold drinks and food, set back towards the treeline. Signs for the (gone) Skyline Cafe remain at intervals on the roadside from about 3km away, but there's still the view to enjoy.

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

They were my immediate thoughts as well. And what on earth was a dive boat doing out in rough seas at 11pm?

It's a liveaboard dive boat, 3 nights at sea.

No need in our family, however - there had to be an exception - wife, her sister and grandma offer some support to a brother who is a sole parent, children 12 and 15.

Practical things, for new years they're getting full sets of new sheets, towels and some additional money for the son and daughter's new clothes,  though the daughter does ok for fashion clothes she gets our daughter's (18) hand-me-downs.

Small stuff, he's a good guy working full-time and appreciates the family support.

No difference culturally - I'd do the same if I had someone in a similar situation.

10 minutes ago, Smokin Joe said:

 

The medical cert is not the "5 diseases" thing. It is just a proof of life from a clinic. If you can see the clinic, walk into the clinic, and state that you need a med cert for a DL then you passed.

My 'medical' on 15 December entailed just height, weight, blood pressure and asked one question: 'any illness that could affect my driving?'

My NZ licence has an endorsement for "correcting lenses must be worn while driving" however that doesn't seem relevant here.