Gecko123

Several years ago I wrote Makro a letter pointing out that their "cash only" policy put them at risk for armed robbery. I always thought it must have gotten tossed in the circular file, but maybe it didn't.

I have been breaking down my grocery purchases by food category (meat, seafood, fruit, vegetable, condiments, etc.) for several years now. This requires me to go over my receipts with a fine toothed comb. If I cannot identify an item from the Thai description on the receipt, I will use Google Translate for help. In all this time, I have only found ONE error. A newbie produce clerk rang up some large tomatoes as large red bell peppers. An honest mistake resulting in an overcharge, for which I got a refund the next time I shopped. Makro's receipts are actually the best of all the supermarkets, because they automatically aggregate identical items onto one line for easy review, regardless of the order in which the cashier scans them. I have a hard time understanding how the weight of an item got scanned as the price, but I guess stranger things have happened. Makro gets high marks from me for their integrity and commitment to low prices and customer satisfaction.

Talk about playing it safe. Not very helpful in terms of planning. Might as well have said somewhere between 100,000 and 100 MM.

The abysmally chaotic roll out of cannabis decriminalization is such a scathing indictment of Anutin's administrative skills that I don't think he should ever be allowed to assume the duties of prime minister.

Sometimes the sound of sweaty skin coming unstuck from vinyl leather can sound remarkably like a fart.

Sorry, not a big fan of cannabis tourism. Just the way I feel.

Right wing media like Fox & Co. are trying to deflect gun control efforts by claiming that gun violence is a mental health issue rather than a gun control issue. I strongly suspect there are political motives behind the efforts to link marijuana to mass shootings. With that said, I don't think there's any question that drug use, including that of marijuana, can exacerbate behavioral problems in young people which in the extreme can lead to gun violence. In other words, while there is a likely correlation between drug use and behavioral problems, and while most mass shooters have behavioral problems, I'm not sure if it's safe just yet to conclude that there's a direct correlation between marijuana and mass shootings.

I must say that the endless putdowns and name calling on the part of the decriminalization partisans make for very tedious reading and do little to bolster the merits of your arguments. In fact, it seriously detracts and distracts from the points you are trying to make. @Snig27, you claim marijuana is an "essentially harmless" drug. Few medical professionals would agree with this lay assessment. If, as an earlier poster indicated is the case, a 300,000 baht licensing fee is required in order to secure the right to commercially grow medicinal marijuana, on top of the capital investments required to start up operations, it's obvious that the commercial rewards are going to go to a small handful of people with the capital and connections to enter the industry. That's where the real money's going to be made. All this talk about lifting the masses out of poverty? Give me a break. As far as hemp fiber and cannabis oil production from seed is concerned, beyond climate (which, by the way, is changing) there are a host of other issues facing farmers including irrigation resources, harvesting equipment, drying/curing of hemp fiber, baling, grading, and processing; whether the infrastructure to support all this even currently exists, and probably most importantly of all, whether there are domestic markets for fiber and cannabis oil products which can be profitably sustained over time. When they bandy about a figure of 70,000/baht per kilo, that's not all going to the farmer. There are very high labor and processing costs; I suspect the farmer's only going to get a small fraction of that. The article I posted earlier points out that in the US there was a similar 'gold rush' to cash in on hemp farming only to discover it was unmarketable or could only be sold at a loss. I'm seeing cannabis flavored this and cannabis flavored that all over the place. What's next, cannabis flavored baby formula? All joking aside, there is a limit to the number of products you can add cannabis to.

Do you consider articles such as these to be propaganda? https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/addiction-treatment-recovery/marijuana/long-term-effects-marijuana-use https://www.healthline.com/health-news/cannabis-use-could-impair-your-ability-to-drive-for-4-hours NB: Drowsiness is cited as a potential side effect. Are fears of an increase in "lap noi" (falling asleep at the wheel) accidents overblown? https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the-effects-of-marijuana-on-your-memory https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/10/13/22725095/marijuana-effects-cannabis-academic-performance

Would really like to see the studies supporting claims that hemp and cannabis seed cultivation are going to dramatically raise farm incomes. What infrastructure is planned to support hemp fiber and cannabis seed oil processing? What studies have been done to evaluate the impact on Thailand's ground water resources? Hemp fiber production produces a lot of waste biomass. How is that going to be disposed of? Burned, perhaps? Article on hemp production from farmer's perspective: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/07/09/the-hemp-boom-is-over-what-now As far as who is most likely going to financially benefit from cannabis flower production for medicinal and recreational use, isn't this a fairly capital intensive industry requiring strict adherence to regulatory production standards? Because of the capital investments, technical knowledge, and conformance to regulatory standards which will be required, does this not present many barriers to entry to this commercial market which will largely favor large well-financed entities? Video highlighting the capital intensive nature of cannabis flower production: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/07/09/the-hemp-boom-is-over-what-now In other words, are claims that farm income and income inequality will be improved through decriminalization a bunch of empty, poorly researched lies and hype? The Thai people deserve answers to these questions.

The question every person, both male and female, should be asking isn't how much abuse you're going to tolerate from people who are overly-protective of their children, or feel they have a right to pass judgment on your relationship with any children in your life. The real question is what boundaries need to be established between you and the child so that the child is able to develop in a safe and nurturing environment. Once you get clarity about that, what others may think becomes considerably less important. I believe practicing healthy boundaries is the key.

I think people can sometimes get really paranoid about that because they have had some experience in their own life which makes them overly vigilant. Some countries have a higher incidence of child sexual abuse which makes people hyper sensitive to this. People sometimes also project their own dark thoughts onto innocent strangers, but lest anyone forget, there are bad guys out there who sometimes do terrible things to children.

In Lyon, France, staying at an airBNB about five years ago, I encountered three adorable Middle-Eastern kids in the common inner courtyard. The oldest was a pre-teen girl, then a middle brother and the youngest was her 5 year old sister. Practiced my French with them, then took turns singing songs to one another. A couple of days before I was due to leave, I ran into them again coming back from the supermarket around the corner. It was Easter, and I figured they didn't celebrate Easter coming from the Middle-East, and maybe felt left out, so in this burst of inter-faith cross-cultural goodwill building I gave the kids a couple of large chocolate bars I happened to have bought moments earlier. Well aware of the "giving candy to kids" taboo, I told them to make sure to give the chocolate to their mother and that it was for the whole family not just them. Anyway, the next day, I ran into the family out on the street sidewalk and you should have seen the 'Chester the Molester' dirty look the father gave me. It was priceless. I almost burst out laughing. If my French had been better I would have explained it all to him, but I just gave him this raised hand 'I come in peace' wave, and didn't let it get to me because I knew I would be leaving in the morning.

If this comment doesn't send chills down the spines of Thai policy makers, I don't know what will.

You are misusing the word "karen." A karen is "a pejorative slang term for an obnoxious, angry, entitled, and often racist middle-aged white woman who uses her privilege to get her way or police other people’s behaviors." Certainly not applicable here. Forum members who have raised concerns about the potentially undesirable impact of cannabis decriminalization on road safety, crime, tourism demographics, mental and physical health, academic performance, and water resource management are not karens. This is especially true given that it is becoming increasingly clear that the Thai government has not fully thought through all the potential ramifications. Such forum members, and I am proud to count myself as one, are thoughtful and socially conscious individuals who ought to be commended for their ability and willingness to focus on these social concerns, and for their unwillingness to turn a blind eye to them just because they might stand in the way of a desire to satisfy one's individual needs for gratification.

Help me break this down. Having trouble fleshing out the target demographic for cannabis tourism. Digital nomads, kids traveling abroad for the first time, Full Moon party aficionados? Connoisseurs of sensual pleasures [polite euphemism for party animals]? People from European, Islamic and other countries with super strict marijuana laws? If that's who's going to ultimately be attracted to Thailand, is there any risk that tourists who aren't interested in marijuana will be alienated from coming to Thailand because of the perceived image that Thailand has become the pot-head capital of Asia? In my opinion it's doubtful that millennials with young families, high-end tourists, aging baby boomers, tourists from neighboring ASEAN countries, China, India, etc. are going to be flocking to Thailand because of the legalization of marijuana. Most baby-boomers I know, even though most have done more than their fair share of smoking weed in their younger years, are far too protective of their respiratory, cardio-vascular and cognitive health to jump back heavily into that lifestyle. I also don't understand how this fits in with Thailand's stated aspiration to become an attractive high-end destination, or how it will further Thailand's academic advancement, or help to improve traffic safety. Again, all of which are claimed as goals by the Thai government. I frankly doubt this is going to be a positive for Thailand's overall tourism image. Once again, Thailand's almost all-male government has failed to appreciate that it is the underlying charm and warmth of the Thai people which have made Thailand the attractive destination it is renowned for being. Looking beyond the excesses of the red-light districts, it is the friendliness and openness of the Thai people which has attracted visitors from around the world. Yes, nowadays, everybody has their head buried in their smart-phone, and social media has done tremendous damage to Thai society and culture, but encouraging and promoting pot smoking is not going to help reverse these already pronounced anti-social and social alienation trends. Finally, it also undermines Buddhist and Islamic values, which play an important role in social and cultural cohesion and identity. So, yes, I do think finding contradictions and hypocrisy here is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel.

Are you talking about this post? @Bert got kinky made some wild accusation that I had "previously made a post in which I 'invented' symptoms of 3 boys that I determined were stoned. You did your best to back-track but you were called out and your lie was shown." This is obviously not what I said in this post. If you're referring to some other post that I allegedly made, dig it out of my posting history, or apologize. @Bert got kinky

I'm not going to engage in endless back and forth bickering with you. I have no idea what post you are referring to. You have - (uh-oh, could this be a symptom of being high?)- clearly miss-attributed or miss-remembered whatever you are talking about. You're successfully hectoring anyone who doesn't agree with you, but don't confuse that with winning the debate.

No, you wouldn't.

What tripe he is being spewed? Are you saying that pot smokers are known for being big spenders, that pot has no impact on cognitive functions, driving ability, productivity, etc? Look, guys, it's obvious that there's unbridled support on this forum for the legalization initiative, but please stop acting like it's all rainbows and butterflies, because it's not. I predict that there's going to be some serious blow back from law enforcement, educators, parents, the medical profession as well as people who might suffer from the behavior of someone who is intoxicated. My sense is that this has happened so quickly that there are a lot of people who are scared to be the first to stick their heads above the parapet out of fear of getting on the wrong side of the politically powerful. The FACTS are that Thailand's on-the-road traffic enforcement and legal infrastructure for detecting, apprehending, and punishing people for driving under the influence is very weak, and that it will be next to impossible to control the growing and consumption of marijuana in rural areas by young people. That isn't fabricated and uninformed hysteria. These are concerns that everyone should share. Certainly, Thailand's dangerous roads, which are constantly lamented on this forum, should be a major concern to us all.

Rastafarian lingo, pandering to the stoners. Don't read too much into it.

She'll come around after she sees those dramatically improving tourism arrival, academic performance, traffic safety, productivity and GDP numbers. [sarcasm alert] These people who don't understand that pot smokers are high net worth big spenders, or that smoking pot actually helps memory and cognitive function, and has scientifically been shown to improve the ability to safely operate motor vehicles really are a bunch of "reefer madness" dinosaurs who need to get with the program. [sarcasm alert #2] Anutin is a visionary who will work out all the pesky details in good time before the first crops are harvested. Don't you worry your pretty little heads. Pass the spliff, mon. He is bringing happiness to the people, and only has the forward progress of the Kingdom at heart. Those who accuse him of short-sightedness or suggest he has cynical and corrupt motives just don't understand his heart. We should all be rejoicing and singing his praises. [sarcasm alert #3] Ganja is the center of my life. Now that ganja has been legalized, not only do I want to live here forever, I want to be reborn here so I can continue to smoke, helping Thailand move forward with every puff. A marijuana plant in every back yard. Teach the children to grow marijuana at school. Teach the elderly about its medicinal properties. Don't listen to the naysayers who point out it'll be virtually impossible to police misuse by underage youth, and traffic safety controls are non-existent. Make Thailand great again. No doubt about it, Thailand, you're on the right track. Keep moving forward! Keep fighting! สู้ๆ [final sarcasm alert]

"Me? Offended? Don't be silly - not in the least!!! Going with paper plates at the reception was the perfectly sensible thing to do."

The Thai Rath article never suggests that the police are involved in the scam. The article says that a number of vendors told the news reporter that a "suspicious tattooed woman" was seen "wandering around KSR" and was believed to be engaged in a missing money scam. The article also says that the woman showed up to the police station with a group of other women backing up her claim that she had 6-7K in the wallet. Obviously, if this activity has occurred repeatedly on KSR involving the same people and the same police station, there is good reason to suspect that the cops may have been involved, but nowhere in the article is it actually claimed or suggested that this has been a recurring activity in the area.

I feel like I owe you an explanation. The long string attached was a Tom and Jerry cartoon reference where the cat might try to catch the mouse by setting a trap with a piece of cheese which has a long string attached to it. All these stories about dropped wallets and phones left around in order to entrap people seem really alien to me. Once I found a one baht coin. Another time a five baht coin. Picking up roadside litter a while back, I thought I had won the lottery when I found a 20 baht bill. People just don't seem to accidentally drop wallets or leave valuables around where I live. When I used to go to the fresh market, I would sometimes set purchases down when I was fishing out my wallet, and a couple of times I would forget to collect my purchases before heading to the next stall. When the vendor called out to let me know, they kind of acted like nobody ever ever did that, like everybody else was just naturally too attentive to their personal belongings to ever do something like that. Anyway, I was just trying to be funny, no offense intended.