Classic Ray

Guinness used to be brewed both in Park Royal, London and in Dublin. The water of course was different, so some said the Liffey gave the Dublin brew a better taste. Now Park Royal has closed so U.K. Guinness comes only from Dublin.

In a country where everyone has a mobile phone or three, couldn’t the teacher have called or messaged (by text not Line) the parent?

Interesting to see the other day that drunk driving only counts as three of your twelve demerit points on the driving licence, so you can drive drunk four times in a year and still not be suspended from driving. Only if you drive for a fifth time and are caught will you be disqualified for 3 months. Ridiculous leniency that will not discourage the drunks.

This feeling encouraged by the Government who consequently can avoid responsibility to provide better education, training and enforcement to reduce the collisions. After all the vast majority of victims are poor people, who cares about them?

Someone I know well works for a Thai Govt department doing admin. Her job could be done completely from home but there is no remote connection available to their records system, plus all her work arrives on paper, not electronically. The quality of the IT professionals employed by the Thai Govt can be seen in the on again/off again online 90 day reporting, the inability to submit a tax return online in English (only in Thai) and the paper only visa/extension system. There is little incentive to computerize as people would lose their jobs for life with medical and pension benefits. This goes through Govt, including land offices, banks and utilities which all rely on people processing paper. The only parts that have been developed efficiently online are payments to get the money in quickly. There will be no changes whilst the education system discourages questioning of officialdom, and that will not happen soon.

I agree plus could have traffic lights with cameras, needed to stop drivers ignoring them. Also could extend use of red flags (originally from Japan) to establish pedestrian precedence, in holders each end of the crossing.

Headline - the word is extort.

The term hero is much misused and maligned. These two men and the team they worked with, including the Thai diver who gave his life, truly reflect the meaning of the word.

Same civil contractor is responsible for the construction of the forthcoming Pink and Yellow Monorail systems in Bangkok.

Wonder if the prospective purchases of oil from Russia and Iran will be on the agenda?

Cheap? It’s certainly not that any more with the increases in energy esp electricity and fuel, all imported products and freight costs, rise in basic staples like chicken and pork (and beer!) This will be reflected in tourist restaurant prices and souvenirs. Flights have rocketed in price, entry and mask requirements as opaque and changeable as ever. As others have pointed out, European destinations are much more pleasant, affordable and short flying times.

I am sure the Government are concerned both by regulation and taxation. Allowing a free market has never been possible with alcohol or tobacco and the large companies with vested interests must be protected.

They’ve looked at Singapore, previously vehemently morally opposed to gambling, now raking it in from their casinos. I wonder how long it will be before UK style betting shops or Aussie pokies will dot every street corner in the Land of Smiles and Debt.

Police corruption is a product of severe underfunding by Government even for salaries, station running costs, personal cost for uniforms, guns etc. Coupled with the selling of promotable posts for senior officers and the lack of any will to investigate or reduce corrupt acts, it leads to the police being treated as a money making business, with excess profits generated by lower ranks being kicked up the chain. The few corruption cases we do hear about are probably the result of not kicking the profits up as required. The only answer is a complete change of culture from the top down, large salary increases funded by increased public taxation, and the formation of an agency similar to Hong Kong ICAC (formed under British rule) to investigate and deal with corrupt officers. The tax increases would be a vote loser, and I don’t see any will to upset the gravy train either from the Government or the police commanders.

This sounds like an extreme lovers tiff which happens in gay, straight and trans relationships. Hopefully the forensics will prove or disprove the explanations.

If the RTP provided the evidence for an Interpol Red Notice, and the subsequent extradition proceedings, he could be arrested wherever he is found within the territory of the signatories.

Any enforcement of the 0.2% THC limit will be a nightmare given the skill levels currently exhibited. Low contents plants look identical to high content plants The cork has come out of the bottle and I predict the country will become much more chilled and relaxed, but that road deaths will increase due to intoxication levels.

I just hope they have updated the online 90 day reporting app to delete the requirement to fill in TM6 details.

I’m same age as you, had 40 years collision free motorcycling in U.K., but after third non-fault one in Chiang Mai in six months (one drunk rider rear ended, one songtaew sudden lane change, one unlicensed woman on wrong side of road broke my wrist) decided to stick to Wave for short trips to 7/11, otherwise car. I once did a road trip with Keith, very skilled rider, RIP. Wonder if Chinese woman looked the wrong way as they drive on the right in China.

I hate dual pricing, especially when a local in a Mercedes is charged 50 baht and I in my clunker am asked for 500. But the answer is simple, my family don’t patronize anywhere that does this, so they don’t make anything at all.

Joe, as stated above they can both enter visa exempt (with insurance) and convert to non OA in country, can’t they?

Immigration police in non-public facing positions eg admin, only wear uniform once per week, but have badged polo shirts to wear the other days, all of which they have to buy themselves. My kids in private school have multiple uniforms which change between kindergarten and primary, needing complete replacement. Why kids can’t have standard colours, eg grey shorts/white shirts, with no restriction on badging or branding, would allow parents to buy in supermarkets and eliminate school closed shop arrangement with supplier, I don’t know. Probably, like most of public life here, education is a business not a profession.

Why can’t the uniforms all be of standard design and colour and sold everywhere in supermarkets? Also why do they have to be embroidered with name etc? This just adds to cost and prevents them being used by others when the child grows out of them. Another racket in Thailand.

Fake detector pens and UV lights available on Lazada for 200 baht.

How surprising, the police found a battery in her truck, similar to 100% of trucks here!