Spock

I don't know if you are being sarcastic, but ecstasy is a nice drug as drugs go, certainly the most enjoyable of the pills available. At 1000 baht a pill, they were probably smuggled from Europe and likely to be very high quality. The details of the LSD sales are obviously totally wrong - 100 baht a trip sounds more reasonable, and this modern stuff is nowhere near as potent as the trips available in the 60's and 70's. I feel a bit sorry for the guy really. I used to buy the same stuff from an Aussie back in the 90s when I lived in Bangkok. The people who write these articles really need to fact check their articles and opinions, because a lot of what they report, including the dangers of the drugs, are just nonsense.

That's a lot of money to spend on rent - about $AU43,000 a month, over $10000 a week. You're right. An genuine elephant sanctuary is going to give you those returns.

If smoking is already permitted on the balconies of the condos, surely weed would also be permissible?

What a shame these influencers have so much influence, even if it is only in their own country.

Then after the flight, there's not only immigration and luggage to worry about, now you can add collecting your charger to that list.

Only takes one incident for anything in Thailand to cause a knee jerk ban across the board. Like how alcohol was banned from Thai trains.

Thai politics and the legal system are disheartening to everyone but the Thai people who allow one travesty of justice after another to pass unquestioned. If they don't care why should I, unless of course Thaksin's return to power accelerates the de-legalisation of weed and is backed up by another shoot to kill squad being assembled.

It's a bad idea if you have already paid for an insurance policy and get double hit through whatever means Thailand uses to raise the money for local insurance.

Really? I took out a comprehensive policy last year with an extra motorbike coverage which cost me $500 Australian for 30 days in Thailand. This is at least two times more expensive than pre-covid. I could have got cheaper, but not much more so. You got a very cheap policy. For me, travel insurance is now a significant cost in any trip OS. It's getting ridiculously expensive.

What lousy coverage. 20000 - 80000 baht maximums is not going to pay for much in a serious accident. And I would be suspicious of any policy in which baht is misspelt as 'bath'.

Or do as I did and pay extra for motorbike coverage. My Thai friend did all the driving so my coverage was just for riding as a passenger. And if you are going to ride a motorbike you make sure all bases are covered in terms of alcohol, helmet and clothing. This poor guy couldn't have had worse luck if he had wanted.

Up north last year, the rental shops all had multiple helmets from which to select. My Thai friend and I felt a bit stupid bringing them from Bangkok.

I pay the extra on my insurance then wear helmet, jeans and shoes as a pillion passenger. I make sure the rider and bike are legal. My Thai friend always wears a decent helmet and clothes despite being relatively poor. It's not that hard or expensive to protect yourself. Motorbike accidents strike young and old alike - but probably, particularly the young and naïve,

Well he should make clear whether he is comparing like to like or his claim is meaningless.

I am from Melbourne and find it very hard to believe that rent there is only 25% more than in Bangkok. If that's an indication of where prices and the cost of living are at in Thailand, I will be staying home this year.

Chinese people are anything but quiet.

You can do as I do and pay extra for motor bike coverage. You need a licence or be a passenger with a licenced driver, as well as wearing a helmet and being on a registered bike. If the woman did not have a bike licence, I cannot see how she expected to be covered.

As a Melbournite who regularly uses Thai Airways on this route, I would like to know what happened to the Melbourne bound passengers once the plane was diverted to Sydney. Were they looked after by the airline at Sydney airport? Were they flown on to Melbourne at no additional expense? The treatment I received as a passenger after the diversion is what would be uppermost in my mind when determining my feelings about the action of the pilot and the airline.

I read that and did not take it as conclusive proof that the incident occurred during those years. It is implied that it occurred while he was teaching in those years, and I guess that is what is meant to be the case, but the wording was ambiguous.

Doesn't actually say it occurred 10 years ago - 'many years ago'.

Thailand doesn't let morality get in the way of maximizing tourist numbers, hence the Thai PM's visit to Russia when just about every other world leader was avoiding having anything to do with the country and its inhabitants. I am just glad Russians chose the place I least like in Thailand, Phuket, as their destination of choice.

I always come in the rainy season June - August. I like not having to compete for accommodation and transport options and room prices are more competitive. Depends too on what you want to do in Thailand. I want to escape Melbourne winters so off season suits. But I think it would be unfair to ignore Australians for 90 day visas while giving them to tourists from just about every other country that visits Thailand.

It would be nice if Australians were included too.

True. He would be much worse off in a western prison.

They don't generally take action against teachers. I think that is very well known. In the west, everyone of the 35 parents would have taken action, whereas only one in this instance went to the police. Speaks for itself.