Classic Ray

I’m still waiting for some medication sent from the UK ten years ago. Also they managed to lose a birth certificate and delayed delivery of its replacement for a month recently The unreliability of the domestic service is I believe the reason most banking and government procedures still need to be carried out in person rather than online applications with delivery by post as carried out in the rest of the world. Wasted an hour at the bank and wore my arm out with signatures just replacing an expired ATM card the other day. UK Banks send by post automatically. The Government could start using Lazada to deliver documents, I find them very reliable compared to Thai Post.

Unfortunately the number of potential criminals requiring intervention by Prevent will inevitably lead to decisions needed to manage individuals. Sometimes these decisions will be wrong. This individual seemed to fit the criteria for close monitoring. I wonder whether his background and possible family political connections in Rwanda led to a light touch approach. His parents had concerns but did they express these to authorities enough? More resources need to be applied to Prevent and a more proactive scheme.

I expect they will soon be rounded up and exploited like that Pygmy hippo.

My friend used to travel 40 miles each way after work on his Lambretta to see his girlfriend. He said sometimes he fell asleep on the journey home, unconsciously steering on the road he knew well. Somehow he survived.

Trying like Singapore to attract the dodgy Chinese money since Macao and HK taken back by the Chinese Government. For many years places like Las Vegas and Atlantic City were run by the Mafia. Will it be any different in Thailand? Also will these complexes have scam call centres as they do in Cambodia and Laos?

A few years ago my small son was treated in a private hospital needing among other things several bags of saline for which we were charged 800-900 each plus cost of IV tubes. Production cost of saline 30 baht per bag. Always try to get just outpatient prescription from hospital then fill it at outside pharmacy, not hospital one. Luckily now we get Government healthcare with my wife’s job so I only pay 50 baht whatever the drugs cost.

Why is a monk in possession of a car? Does not seem to accord with the vow of poverty. Pit bulls and similar breeds are inherently bred for aggression and territorial defence, and need to be properly trained and controlled, or preferably not bred at all. Unlike GSDs, terriers, labradors, retrievers and Malinois, they serve no useful purpose. Thailand has too many stray and uncontrolled dogs already without allowing these vanity breeds. Time to ban them as so many other countries have already done.

I have been watching a series called “Say Nothing” (recommended) detailing IRA activity in which Dolours Price clearly highlights Gerry Adams’ position and activity in the IRA. Whilst each episode carries a denial by Adams of his involvement in the IRA, as far as I know he has taken no legal action to stop this dramatisation. To think of paying him a penny for all the evil carried out in his name makes me sick.

I am more concerned about the infrastructure to support EVs, specifically charging stations (and their maintenance and no doubt increasing cost to use them), training of sufficient technicians to safely and competently maintain EVs, and the cost of replacement parts and labour to keep EVs on the road for the expected 20-40 years of any typical Thai used vehicle. With the appetite for EVs waning in the West, this may spread to Thailand and stocks of unsold EVs will rise. Hybrids are a compromise involving double powertrains needing double maintenance.

The only solution will come from negotiation and compromise on both sides. If the three provinces wish to become independent, self-governing or part of Malaysia, is it worth all this bloodshed, damage and expense to prevent them? Are there alternative scenarios which could address their concerns? Follow the model established in the North of Ireland for an acceptable outcome. Jaw Jaw Jaw not War War War.

As far as small distilleries are concerned, there need to be safeguards applied to prevent the inclusion of methanol in the finished product. The first fraction of the distillate usually contains any methanol and needs to be discarded, as it is with moonshine. Also must prevent methanol being added to any alcoholic drinks to prevent repeats of the recent cocktail deaths.

Locking a vehicle in place does nothing to remove the obstruction. The bike should be lifted, with locks only used for a short time while the police wait for the tow truck.

Forgery of the 2 million baht document is a criminal offence. Also obtaining the property by deception is also criminal rather than civil.

A more effective measure would be to cease issuing UK visas to all Pakistani citizens, including family members, until they accept all deportees. The uproar this would cause in Pakistan would I’m sure be what’s needed.

I wonder what their policy will be towards the hub of this crime, the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos, soon to expand. Headed by Zhao Wei, a US sanctioned Chinese man, it seems to operate with impunity. Without dealing with this problem, there will be little impact on other criminal operations in the area. https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/chinese-casino-magnates-empire-set-to-expand-in-laos/

Defence against whom? Four jets plus whatever they already have is not going to stop any determined invader, who would target their bases as a first move anyway. The only possible threat is China who have chosen economic invasion rather than military, working out well. i think we all know the real reason for these military purchases.

I got fed up with multi blade razors as difficult to keep clean from shaving soap/hair, also expensive. Tried electric razor but no close shave. Now returned to single blade old type safety razor, easy to clean, but have to shave slowly to avoid cuts as it shaves very closely, styptic pencil kept on hand. Blades last a long time and much cheaper.

If safety is of interest, white is the safer colour as people are more likely to see/take note of a white car than black, especially in low light/dusk conditions.

Most domestic fire victims die from smoke inhalation rather than burns. Furniture foam is the biggest danger, especially as non flammable non poisonous foam is not banned in Thailand like other countries.

Travelling in her mother’s arms instead of a child’s safety seat that may have given her better protection from injury.

In the UK you have to disclose medical conditions like epilepsy, tunnel vision, or diabetes likely to affect your driving behaviour. This can lead to examination for medical fitness to drive and restrictions on your licence. I have never heard of similar duties of disclosure in Thailand, which probably leads to incidents like these.

Try going from Sukhumvit to Saphan Thaksin by taxi, took my family two hours the other day, we came back by BTS in twenty minutes but a handful with two infants in pushchairs.

Maximum sentence for affray is 3 years imprisonment, so quite a serious offence.

The concept of patrolling to prevent and detect offenses seems alien to RTP, who prefer to use occasional static checkpoints only. Large reliance on cameras to catch speeders who never pay fines, so useless activity. Police cars are only used for escorting VIPS or are pickups used for carrying clamps or traffic cones. Maybe there is no budget (or will) to provide patrol or response cars as there is in other countries? Until there is proactive policing, there will be no change and the carnage will continue. The “campaigns” run over holidays produce no noticeable reduction and the statistics they collect are questionable anyway due to what is and is not counted, eg deaths at scene, not deaths at hospital afterwards.

And there was me thinking you knew the Government was going to change again!