BKKBike09

I was quite tempted by WRX (not the STI) but they've stopped importing the manual version here. I think they've stopped importing the STI altogether.

Too right. And according to pics in other Thai articles, driving a brand new Merc G-Wagon on a red plate (must be THB 10 mil plus). I'll go out on a limb and speculate ... online gaming and crypto in the mix somewhere.

Where does it say the driver was an alcoholic? Regardless, no sympathy here (and in any case, some alcoholics would be better drivers, despite their blood alcohol level, than someone who'd just been on the lash).

As an aside to this engrossing tale of rustic rivalries, I have coconut trees on a plot of land I rarely visit. It's near a mosque so have a deal with the imam that he can take as many coconuts as he likes to sell if he wants to help pay for the mosque power and water. Means we don't get random villagers doing what they want on 'the Bangkok people's' land.

According to the Thai language story, it seems like the piece of land in question lies between a public road and the boundary of a titled land plot, so the villagers use it for foraging etc. However the galangal plants in question were purchased and planted by the guy who's now claiming damages. I imagine that's why he's not claiming trespass as well. Also it says the two of them have a long history of not getting on. Welcome to life in a small village. Oh, the cops also seized gran's motorcycle because its papers weren't in order.

Is that while they 'respectfully' ignore wearing motorcycle helmets, stopping at pedestrian crossings and a host of other things that are legal requirements, as opposed to advisory?

Exactly. It needs masks to be off - even though it also means being indoors in close proximity to others for an extended period of time, in an environment with much higher potential for viral droplet / aerosol spread (thanks to talking and eating). Which is why I find it curious that said people then mask up outside. If others are concerned about their health, I urge them to take appropriate precautions. The limo driver was separated from me by a solid perspex partition. He (a young guy) actually told me he didn't want to wear a mask, but his employer made him wear it.

I flew back last week. The cabin announcement in Thai said masks were compulsory, but in the English version they were only 'recommended'. I didn't wear one on the flight, at the airport, in the AOT limo, in fact not once since I got back. No-one has said anything, and I haven't seen anyone looking very upset (this is in Bangkok). Pro-maskers will doubtless be outraged by my behaviour but hey, it's freedom of choice now. Indeed. More people seem to be masking outside now than before I left end June. Bizarre. Wear them outside but then go to an indoor food court with 4 friends from the office and sit cheek by jowl gabbing away and slurping noodles.

Not much danger of catching Covid in any of those bars in the picture - anyone for a game of 'spot the customer'?

Lounging by the pool fully clothed is kinda odd (unless you're Thai and it was after 4 pm)

In Bangkok at MFA Chaengwattana they offer a same-day service (I think 3,000 for a 5-year passport). Apply in morning and pick up in afternoon. Best to book slot online.

The new M-Flow system doesn't recognise ID numbers that don't begin with 1 or 3 as being held by Thai nationals, so my Thai ID starting with 8 means I can't link my M-Flow account to debit directly from my EasyPass - have to link M-Flow to a credit card 'because foreigners can only link to a credit card'.

A 'cooperative society'? That's what Western ideologue liberals like to think about the socialist approach. The reality is more and more becoming: "So-called freedom can sometimes be easily confused with selfishness" - Hong Kong's new Health Minister, talking about possible introduction of mandatory China-style tracking apps, which I'm sure a 'cooperative society' welcomes. (https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/macau-lockdown-begins-hong-kong-mulls-health-code-app/news-story/300ba4685a58d3a8aebbff75d56fe7e9 If that's what a 'cooperative society' means, we should all be concerned.

What's it got to do with the 'Right'? Some people prefer to be told what to do, others prefer to make their own minds up, and to believe that people should take agency for their own lives where possible. A democratic government should respect that. An autocratic government will always know what's best for people. People at serious risk from Covid are in a distinct minority. Why should the majority sacrifice for the minority? No-one has any idea about the real level of infections here in Thailand. Surely you don't believe the official statistics? Of course, it would be inconvenient for the government to admit that manic masking doesn't stop many infections, given how easy it is to catch it now. If moronic compliance with rules just because they're 'the rules' is your thing, that's up to you. I find it frankly astonishing how easily people will cede personal liberties with nary a whimper.

Thanks for the insight ... I had Delta last year. I really don't care if I get Covid again. My sister's had it 3 times now (UK school teacher). It's everywhere. It's mild for the vast majority of people. Live in fear if you choose. I'd rather not.

Rigorous data-based analysis at its best. Really, who cares about this stuff anymore?

https://indoorskydivingsource.com/tunnels/chaijinda-wind-tunnel/ This is the newest facility (in Cha-am). Military, but I believe open to civilians as well (friend of mine sometimes flies a Porter for one of the skydive ops here and told me about it).

How does that prevent an ambulance turning up to answer a 999 call right now? Why can’t people get on a Dentist or GP list? On your ambulance point - the problem, caused by NHS mismanagement and Covid staffing, is that in many health authorities there is currently little capacity to admit, in a timely fashion, patients arriving by ambulance. There are free beds, there are doctors, but the system is screwed up. So ambulances sit at A&E for hours waiting to offload before they can be sent out again. My 90 year old mum fell very ill on Monday, vomiting, incoherent, in great pain. We called an ambulance at 1 pm. It never showed, despite three follow up calls to 999 and being told at 9 pm (!) that one would be blue lighted out to our rural location. Oh, and being told to get the local defibrillator ready. I don't blame the Tories for this. But back on topic - time for Johnson to go before he does even more damage to the Conservatives. Although I suspect people are sick and tired of the sorry pack of them, not that Labour are any more edifying.

Everyone's back at work in the UK?? More accurate to say that many companies have failed to hire back staff they laid off during the pandemic, and that Covid continues to see huge numbers of people - while not very sick - off work. That is having a massive impact. That said, Johnson has to go. Enough with the "I made a mistake and I'm apologising now".

Surely you need to try and factor in how governments will tax road use by EVs instead of just pushing a pure "energy" cost. Tax on fuel is a massive contributor to government tax revenues in most countries. If millions of drivers shift to EVs, do you really think governments will say "thanks for helping the environment guys, no tax for you!". For sure there will have to be some new tax to replace that lost on fuel revenues: dynamic road pricing, "per km" pricing based on your EV reporting its daily mileage to a government server etc. Seems to me EVs make sense for urban driving but are still way too expensive in comparison to a traditional ICE (what's the acronym these days for In Car Entertainment) unless you do mega-mileage.

Those dogs need to go back to Chasing School if what's in the video counts as "chasing".

I wonder how many other exchanges will start making it hard to withdraw - this sent out yesterday by UpBit. A "system upgrade" without a defined end date, during which no deposits / withdrawals can be made? Right ... Dear Traders, We will proceed system upgrade on wallet service and BTC, USDT market. Please read this announcement carefully. [Impact] • ALL Asset Withdrawal/Deposit Suspension : From 10:00 Bangkok Time, 23 Jun 2022~ • BTC, UST Market Trading Suspension : From 16:00 Bangkok Time, 23 Jun 2022, apprx. 2 hours. Once the maintenance is complete, we will announce again. Please DO NOT deposit any asset during the suspension. In such case, recovery may take long time or impossible. [Important Note] • After the maintenance, ALL EXISTING DEPOIST ADDRESSES will be deleted. • Please ISSUE NEW ADDRESS after the maintenance for ALL ASSETS. • Deposit into legacy address may take a long time to recover. • Also erroneous deposit into legacy address may not be possible to recover. After the completion of upgrade, we will provide withdrawal/deposit service of all tokens available on Upbit Thailand including BTC and USDT market. Thank you. Upbit Team.