BKKBike09

Indeed. The corruption in Laos is even worse than in Thailand! Indeed it is. I lived there in the mid 90s, when at least the corruption was "reasonable" - want to build a dam? Minister needs a Land Cruiser. By the 2000s it was Minister's kid needs to be educated overseas and a new house would be nice. Now it's even worse thanks to the Chinese criminal money. There's also very heavy State control of the media. I dredged up my Lao and did some searches just now for articles about this in Lao language and there's zip. Only RFA and some anti-gov FaceBook news channel.

RIP to those poor people. Vang Vieng has become a version of Koh Phangnan / Koh Tao / Khaosan Road all rolled into one. Sadly, rich people in Laos also have the same level of immunity as their Thai counterparts. Perhaps more so because many of them have got rich through tight links with certain ministers / Politburo members, rather than through general biz.

Huh? Says he traveled to Phuket with his family and that a relative confirmed his identity. However it does seem slightly odd that the relative was only 17. Where's the wife? All very mysterious.

I'm with you on that assessment. I stopped watching the vid when he made the laughable comment (at 04:07) "I found an opening in my schedule"! Priceless. Rocks up at his destination (I'm guessing Phils) and only has about USD 10-12 but still buys a coffee at the airport. I guess then he walked into town? His web site makes clear he's all about digital biz and monetising his online activities. His Channel:

I wonder what the police are pouring over the footage? Lao Khao? Chang? Is that a new investigative technique?

May have been the case for you but I've had Delta, Omicron and whatever was after that. Never felt very sick. The last time I wouldn't even have known without positive test. Also not true dengue gets worse each time you catch it. Again, I've had it twice. First time was tough, second time not so much. Depends more on the variant and the individual as to how you react (or so doc told me last time).

Have you actually tested positive for Covid? I've been sick as a dog since last Friday. Never felt this bad with Covid x 3 (Delta, Omicron and whatever came next) or the last time I had dengue (had twice, first time was grim). Repeatedly testing negative for Covid, Flu A/B, RSV etc. Lungs clear. Doc says bllood work suggests bacterial infection so just started antibiotics yesterday. Still running a low-grade fever, lower back pain, coughing up shed-loads of green gunk. But at least no pulsing headache (finally). Hope you feel better soon.

Good. At least now you recognise that London's historical diversity and multiculturalism was not particularly diverse from an ethnic perspective. Also, "The ‘consent of masters’ being ‘invariably not given’ suggests opposition to bigoted laws is nothing new" suggests nothing of the sort; people who had coloured servants just didn't want to give them up.

Come, then. Demonstrate that 'ignorance' with some facts, rather than empty comment. You know, things like - Catholics weren't allowed to live in London or hold public office until the The Catholic Relief Act of 1791. All Jews were booted out of England in 1290 through the Edict of Expulsion and were not allowed to return until 1656. The 1596 Elizabethan edict that authorised the Lord Mayor of London, amongst others, to “take up…Blackamoores here in this Realm and to transport them into Spain and Portugal" - although this also required the "consent of their masters”, which was invariably not forthcoming. Yes, 'alternate history' is all the rage. Take that nonsensical faux-Regency series 'Bridgerton' as a classic example. It's ironic, of course, that if the Left narrative is one of historic racial oppression of ethnic minorities by the white majority, how does that square with a series that depicts said minorities as influential and respected equals in Regency England? Especially since I suspect many younger viewers will take it as fact.

It's time for Thailand to move into the 21st century and ditch the xenophobic and anachronistic restrictions on foreign ownership of businesses and properties. Western expat retirees are not the ones buying up large tracts of land: that's Chinese money. Investment rules were changed recently so that in some sectors - manufacturing for instance - 100% foreign ownership is allowed. So many of the Chinese companies now located in the Eastern Seaboard IEs are 100% Chinese owned, with all Chinese directors.

I'm surprised at you, Chomps. 'Blighty'? We now know that this is yet another example of cultural appropriation from our evil Colonial past. An informal and often affectionate term for Britain or England, chiefly as used by soldiers of the First and Second World Wars (in the First World War, a wound which was sufficiently serious to merit being shipped home to Britain was known as a Blighty). The term was first used by soldiers serving in India, and is an Anglo-Indian alteration of Urdu bilāyatī ‘foreign, European’, from Arabic wilāyat, wilāya ‘dominion, district’. Also, I think Johnson's famous quote should be amended for historical context, given that the ethnography of C18th London was almost exclusively Caucasian. "Why, Sir, you find no White man or even, though it is a modern concept, no White woman, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a White man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." Johnson's manservant, a former Jamaican slave named Francis Barber, left London pretty much as soon as he was able.

Maybe Khan could take him to Westminster Abbey, to Billingsgate Market, to a [name of London club] home game? Things / places that reflect the hundreds of years of London culture diversity that have nothing to do with Muslim and other minority group rights which, let's be frank, do not define London, however much this fool wants that to be the case. But this is a guy who also said “This is the president of the USA, a country we all adore, love, we love Americans, we love American culture. But also America’s like a lighthouse. They can be somebody that’s a source of good, ripples of hope and love, but also ripples of hate". What does he mean by 'American culture'? Misogynistic rap, Hollywood celebrities, soulless malls, fast food, money above all else, obsession with DEI? I rather suspect the answer is yes. Although of course 'American culture' outside the cities also incorporates belief in family values, pride in your country and other now-unfashionable ideas. As you can tell, I detest Sadiq Khan.

Windsor has only been CEO since September; before that he was CFO, but only since start of the year. He's a bean counter and not from a financial services background. Aberdeen (or Abrdn as they stupidly re-branded) have not performed well in recent years and there was talk of splitting off the investment arm. How have markets reacted to his appointment?

I don't know if the upgrade automatically adds three months to the remaining subscription but would assume that to be the case. BYD App - I didn't realise that worked/was available in Thailand now?

I just called BYD Ramintra. They said: Original free SIM Subscription expires after 2 years Replacement SIM will extend free subscription for 3 months They are waiting to hear from Rever what happens after that - don't know if will need to pay or if still free etc SIM change is free of charge My car is due for it's 2-year service in Jan so I'll get them to change the SIM then. No SIM = no OTA updates. I don't care about YT, Netflix etc but do use the Navigation.

And don't forget they eat cats and dogs Cheaper than turkey or a 'plant-based alternative'.

I don't have a dog in this fight. Personally I don't care whether fluoride has been added; I think many people don't realise that it is not unusual for it to be a naturally occurring trace mineral in some tap water anyway.

Meanwhile, in parts of Northern Thailand, there's waaaaaaay too much fluoride in water from some wells. "This study was carried out in 2021-2022. The subjects (n=537) were all the school children in aged 6–12 years that high fluoride areas in Chiangmai, Lamphun, Lampang and Phayao provinces. Samples of drinking water were collected and their fluoride concentration determined using the standard method. The results showed that 77.7% of the subjects consume bottled water and 13.6% from piped water. Unsafe water was drunk by 27.9% of the subjects. The village waterworks at Muang district, Lamphun province had the highest fluoride concentration of 14.0 mg/l. The prevalence of dental fluorosis (moderate-severe) in the children was 11.3% also in Lamphun province". https://icoh.anamai.moph.go.th/th/outline/download?id=108544&mid=37402&mkey=m_document&lang=th&did=40500

Yes, the USA is such an evil, hateful and oppressive place to live. They'll be burning trans folk in the streets before Christmas (which may now be acceptable to celebrate).

And doubtless perhaps also adding a "dose of surprise and excrement" to the school day ...

The riveted ones don't need a drill: just use a hacksaw to cut through the riveted spline (axle). Replacement wheel kits come with new axles and tighten up with a hex key. Just need to get the right size wheels. I just replaced all four wheels on an expensive suitcase. Took 15 mins. OP photo looks like a built in wheel but I imagine it unscrews from the case. Should be a zipper in the case liner to give access to the wheels and other case furniture (ie changing handles/locks).

'Glandular trichomes' reminds me a bit of the late Lord Justice Pickles asking for clarification, in a trial, as to meaning of 'Linford's lunchbox'

Perhaps you should give it a go. Might make you less cantankerous.

A 'Vanuatu-Chinese couple'. Right. I bet 5 million in USDT that 'Sai' is a Chinese national involved in some sort of shady business. These guys all have passports from Vanuatu, Dominica, Cambodia etc because, when caught, they absolutely do not want to be deported back to the PRC.

Ah, Bhairawha. Gateway to .... nowhere interesting whatsoever. Fun fact: the airport upgrade there was slowed after the contractors were told they could not use heavy equipment to move sand from nearby rivers, but had to do it all by hand.