Scouse123

Correct, And when I had an operation in 2004 at Bumringrad Hospital for throat cancer, the doctors told me not to drink spirits.

I don't drink sugary stuff and stay away from spirits on medical advice

5 Of course it is but you dont get the death sentence for it

I have just stopped drinking since November 27th and will not drink now before January 20th when I go to the UK. My reason is to be comfortable with and lower my weight, I want to lose 7-8Kgs over the next 6 weeks or so, it is not an alcohol-dependent issue. I am slightly bored with beer at the minute and I try to avoid spirits. I do like Red wine but refuse to pay Thailand's prices.

I think that view is a bit extreme and will never pass muster with the masses.

You know there are a few I can mention here, mostly British but an American as well. There was Supermodel Naomi Campbell spotted as a supermarket cashier. EdSheeran was busking on the streets and was spotted by an agency. Simon Cowell was on his parent's sofa, but with his family's connections in TV, they managed through the back door to launch his TV career initially. and then there was Anthony Bourdain, the famous American chef. It was a woman who was a friend of his mother, who pushed her husband to get his scripts read in the publishing world that launched his book and Television success Kitchen Confidential, No Reservations, Parts Unknown etc So, all the above had and have talent, but they met the right people at the right time. Many equally talented don't get there. I cannot compare myself to any of the above, but I relied and always have, on a sharp eye for an opportunity and hard work coupled with a determination to succeed in my own way.

Unless somebody can explain how a guy gets through biometrics when his physical appearance, as in his face, and his fingerprints cannot match that of the original holder's passport. The only other way is that he has had a legal passport made in Australia with the Italian name and his own biometrics. That would make sense.

The right place at the right time and meeting somebody influential by chance has plenty to do with it too. Of course, you need talent as well, but there are plenty of talented people, some more talented than the rich and famous, who just didn't make it.

Thanks. So now we know how he got into the country, he hasn't been through the normal immigration or customs checks.

The German police have arrested the German who fled to Germany.

I am wondering with the passport he used how he passed through the biometrics system which is supposed to stop this. Surely his face and prints didn't match the Italian guy's passport he travelled on. Even if the passport was used for the first time entering Thailand the prints and face would not match up to what is embedded in the passport chip. Unless he has completely bypassed immigration checks. Confused!

They have a seven-storey hospital adjacent to Klong Prem prison which is adequate. He does not need an emergency operation that the medical corrections hospital is not equipped to deal with. That is the reason prisoners are shipped out to the Police hospital when the medical corrections hospital doesn't have the facilities to deal with complex procedures. It's a giant con.

Too much mass violence by individuals creeping into Thai society lately.

No. I have health insurance by choice as I believe it to be sensible

He just isn't dirty enough to be in Thai politics.

That depends on the educational standards of the English native speakers you have been conversing with. I certainly know the difference.

It can be confusing when even immigration officers refer to a retirement extension as a retirement visa. Hence, the confusion for some board members. I am on retirement extension from a Non-O visa, however, I have and do pay for health insurance annually. I believe it's vital to live here and a damn sight more important than drinking or hookers.

It's a waste of everybody's time commenting on this matter, even though I am doing just that, we know the Shinawatras are rotten to the core. He has no intention of serving a day in prison. It won't be long before the current prime minister is removed and replaced. He's pleasant enough but hasn't the cunning, knowledge or expertise. Maybe, he's too nice a chap to lead a corrupt filthy government. He looks like he has that extra chromosome 21 as well.

You would think the RTP had better things to do, they don't have any reputation to tarnish except in their heads.

RIP sad to hear, I remember his clear and concise broadcasts and translations during Covid.

Way too young sir. RIP young doctor.

Thai nationals do not need a visa for Turkey though, do they?

The Thais don't see mask-wearing as protecting the public from catching Covid from them, they see it the other way around.

Too kind squire!

When I first arrived in Thailand many years ago now, I studied Thai on a one-to-one basis as I had a hotel and found it more convenient to fit with my days, also I didn't want to sit in a class as I would have been too embarrassed. I was informed a few weeks ago that my former teacher had passed away. I think we all forget that time marches on. After two years of Thai, where I also studied reading and writing as the teacher said if you can read and write, you can forget the tones as they will come naturally as the written language was accented, I moved on to try Lao as I just found it interesting. At that time there was a teacher from Pakse, PDR Lao in Pattaya who did private one-to-one as well as selling tours, in Sunnee Plaza, South Pattaya. I also had several maids who were Lao nationals working under the radar. When I sold up and moved on to Isaarn, it was fairly easy to blend into the Isaarn dialect, although I would describe Isaarn as a rougher and lazier form of Lao than the actual Lao language which is far more gentler and precise. Up here, very few speak English and those that actually can refuse or can't be bothered to use it. You are forced to speak Isaarn. There is a former manager of Top Charoen who is a university graduate who likes to speak English with me, but mostly the others cannot speak a word or are too lazy to use English.