richard_smith237

Well to be fair.. as much as I've 'ripped you'... it does sounds as though you know your food... I just question the generalisation, thats all....

After months of bank and forth with April Insurance I was also getting letters from Bumrungrad, a latter couple threatening legal action. I was not 100% confident that my travel would not be impeded and any slight delay would be more costly than the cost of the claim. I'm not sure how realistic the concern was, but I had read that it is possible for a company owed money to file a police report and with that they could put a hold on any potential departures. I also know this is the case for landlords if they thing someone is fleeing without paying the owed rent etc - I wasn't going to take the risk.

Thats the one.... I was with April Thailand then, thats why I was also confused thinking it was April International.

It would most certainly tell me not to take a 1 tonne vehicle over this bridge !!! Just when we think people cannot possibly be any more stupid, there is someone to prove us wrong !!!

Fair enough... All western food prepared by Westerners in all of Thailand is rubbish... Gotchya.... Your Mileage Most Certainly did vary... I wonder if you got any Mileage at all !!!

I'm on Rivoroxaban (Xarelto 20mg daily).... Your info looks accurate on price, also accurate is that there are other alternatives from India that area equally as good (apparently). Making a switch would appear to be a wise idea (professional medical guidance permitting of course), Warfarin is now considered an antiquated drugs. With Rivoroxaban (and similar) there are no dietary constraints as the drug itself works in a different way. I'm not sure if the anticoagulation properties of Rivoroxaban also result in easy bruising I don't get bruises so easily.

I know its been said before, I know its not just Thailand... But really, that people can be this stupid and allowed to be in control (term used loosely) is frightening... Equally as frightening is what a teacher once told me... the knowledge that some of the utter dullards that he has taught are now driving around in cars is spine chilling....

Sure about that ?... going by his handle he's only been 3x !!!! But, yes.... absolutely agree with you and Scuba.. at 66 years old, its more than likely he fell ill due the exercise of snorkelling. This is true... I recall from my childhood that my father used to be a very strong swimmer... when the folks came over to Thailand we did the Phi-Phi thing and snorkelled in Maya Bay... Father put his life jacked on and I'm glad he did, he was very unsure of himself in the water, probably having not swam for a couple of decades... But, more than that... other issues contribute a drowning. I'm a very strong swimmer (or rather, used to be) - I recall having cramp in a training session - completely debilitated in the water, all I could do was cling on to the ropes...

Its only 'fast-food' in fast-food restaurants. There are many excellent restaurants which serve great pizza and great fries / chips... they are not fast food restaurants. Food falls on a spectrum of quality and price etc.... to suggest 'pizza' is fast food is somewhat binary thinking.

I think that may well be the crux of the issue..

I bet you're just the life and soul of every social sitation you find yourself in !!!.... I wanted to write 'I bet you're great fun at parties'... but that would open the door for you to tell us all how you've grown out of enjoying yourself !!!...

[ kids get the impression that its normal ].... no they don't... no kid thinks murder is normal or acceptable, they all know its wrong whatever their home life and education. But, I do accept that the 'dramatisation' of such events and almost glorification can distort the mindset of some 'wrong-uns'... and yes, a lot of that comes down to lack of parental guidance.

I shudder to think of some of the stuff I got away with as a kid... from throwing rotten oranges at cars, to shooting arrows at passing trains (home made)... Luckily no one was every hurt... We were young, stupid, not thinking of any consequences... and that could have led very serious outcomes... death of an innocent party even. But.. none of the above would have been Murder... For cold blooded murder it takes a certain mind that is already broken. Perhaps the type of crime and age needs to be considered... this is not just about rehabilitation, its about protecting society too and if a kid of 13 years old has planned and killed someone they are so unhinged they're a potential danger to the rest of society for the rest of their days.

I see that as something far more Machiavellian... But, I really do not believe something such as that 'could' happen at my son's school, the standards and oversight are simply too strong, the establishment simply way too professional... I have every confidence in all of the teachers there.... But as you say... this could happen there are no absolutes. The story you read was not of a top-tier international school, its not a school I have even heard of (Siam International School).

Perhaps at the restaurants where the food requires further seasoning the Chefs are not chef's but just 'cooks'.... We were recently at a restaurant in Switzerland... we'd ordered a very simple lunch (Racklette ham Sandwich)... My Wife asked for Ketchup, the owner was completely bemused... he'd never had such a request before and even came out to see if she really did 'dip' her sandwich into the ketchup !!!!... and it was only a sandwich, but I guess, he was actually a 'Chef' and we should be eating the food as he intended...

Where are you travelling to... from Nakhon nowhere to Nakhon nowhere ??.. There loads of excellent Western restaurants in Thailand, many owned by Westerners too... But if you 'dont bother with them'... how would you know... Your comment reads a lot like the guys who state they 'avoid other foreigners' when in Thailand... its just weird... Loads of excellent cuisine from all over in and around Thailand, mostly in the built up areas of course.

It looks like a circa 1996-2000's E-Class Merc... But whats fuel efficiency got to do with it ? Did the Monk own it ? or the was it donated to the temple and they use it ? You mentioned they are not allowed to drive (I didn't know that).. but is that really so ? Monks are not allowed to drive cars ??? I think this comes from 'back in the day' (of Bhuddha) travelling was seen as an extravagance... but travel is no longer an extravagance, so is travel / driving still frowned upon ??... Is having a 20+ year old vehicle at your disposal considered an extravagance ? I just learned a little about this here: https://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=8992#:~:text=A strict application of this,on alms round by boat.) ... I see that the actual driving part is not permitted... Like everything in Thailand I guess... 'up to you' is prevalent throughout all - I wouldn't be so upset at a Monk driving through, neither would most Thai's I guess.

Not a bit cynical, I am very cynical of this whole government funded cult. Monks are not supposed to drive or have worldly goods, he should have refused the gift, or sold it and donated the money. I'd like to see his bank account, bet he has a top of the range Phone too, even better your wife's family could have sold it and given it to a much more worthy cause not to someone who lives rent and food free, and never cook their own food, they are just beggars who sit around chanting for some of the day. Your being just a bit virtuous then... I agree with your cynicism... but also understand that much of Thailand operates very much in a 'grey area' where rules for anything are concerned... .. Ok, so by their own rules, Monks are not 'supposed' to drive - how old are the rules ? from before cars ?.. does this come from them not being allowed to transport themselves ??? I get the no personal belongings things.. perhaps the car was 'owned by the temple itself' and him being the head monk had most use of it, I don't know... but they have to get around somehow right ?... they could have sold it and got a van... but then people like you may suggest thats too comfortable and they should be in a songthaew etc... where is the limit ? I see Monks upgraded to Business Class number of times - should that not be permitted ? why not ?? Its a grey area and none of it really bothers me until some use their 'position of moral authority' to gain advantage or influence others.. or worse still, fiddle kids etc..

Ah well... Then you could well be right... The restaurants you go that serve Western food perhaps do under-season their Western Food. Its not something I've found issue with at Western restaurants in Bangkok (such as Wine Connection through to places such as Cocotte and El Mercado, Bacco, Big Mama's etc)... So.. perhaps its the individual establishments themselves and you need to experiment some more to find better places ? The places I listed are in Bangkok... Where are you located ?... maybe someone has good recommendation... Or if you are in Bangkok try some of the above listed places.

I was on them last year (Eco Int'l) to Japan and didn't notice anything negative, I didn't notice anything great either... flying sucks !!.. I have fairly low expectations anyway - a couple of beers, edible food, noise canceling headphones on and watch my iPad. I'm flying them again in a couple of weeks (Airmiles Buisness Class ticket).. its been a while, but again, my expectations are not hight.. I just expect a comfortable functioning seat, a couple of beers, edible food on a slightly larger tray so I'm not so scared of spilling something all over-myself... and again, watching something on my iPad... Eco again on the return, standard expectations...

Their cars will be less polluting at that time because the roads will be clearer and they'll get to their destinations more quickly !!!!... A bet not one person in any position of authority uses public transport at all over this period. The announcement is a virtue signal.

To be fair in light of my own criticisms of this airline.. that sort of delay is not uncommon at all. A lot of my Emirates and Qatar Airways flights are similar. Were you sleeping ?... If not, didn't you point out at the time as soon as they started serving the row behind you? Luggage - thats not the airlines fault - but they are accountable for any compensation claim you make. ------ While I too have criticism of Thai Airways, I do sometimes thing some criticism are unfair. I recall a number of years ago that I was told to 'go and get a beer myself'... !!!... On a flight to Japan - Wife was asleep, I was with my Son (4 yrs old)... I'd had one beer with dinner, all trays cleared up and we were entering the 'quiet phase' of the flight... I'd not seen an attendant pass through the cabin for about 20-30 mins... I didn't want to get up and leave my Son unattended - so I hit the call button... Apologised when the flight attendant came.."Sorry to bother you, I didn't want to leave my Son unattended by going to the galley... But could I have a beer ?"... the flight attendant clearly didn't like having the call button pressed and really didn't like the idea of getting me a beer... ... I was told that if I wanted a beer, I should go to the galley and ask for one myself... I was shocked by the attitude of the flight attendant. I complained to the Purser, who didn't seem to think there was any issue with this... That was a shocker.. but that said, mostly the service on all travel in and around Asia is pretty good so no major or consistent complaints there.. just a one off. ---- Eithad did switch our booked seats (at the Gate) so my Wife and I weren't next to each other - this was so a Pilot and his Wife could sit together in the 'honey moon seats' (two business class seats next to each other) - written complaint that time, no response. When my sons Pushchair was snapped in half and Etihad rejected the compensation claim that it, never flown then again (and I was a gold card member at the time). So... All airlines have their cra.ppy moments...

Same here... as per the article - it was very annoying after amassing miles that they devalued then, effectively halving their value. Then there is the issue of actually being able to secure Award Seats... We are flying with then in a couple of weeks... we had to book our Airmiles seats 330 days in advance and few flights had Airmiles seats available. Contrast this with many other airlines and if you have air-miles you can get any seat, the don't allocate limited seats per flight etc. One improvement is the Cash+Miles option... but we are maxed out on 50,000 miles to spend per ticket, which is also limiting when you have over 200,000 miles etc and Award seats are not available. All they need to do is Copy Emirates... how hard is that ?

As a person ages their taste diminishes... Particularly after 60 years old, the number of taste buds diminish and each remaining taste bud shrinks, also less saliva is produced. Thus - what you have noticed as 'less seasoning' could actually be your diminishing taste...

A bit cynical that... One of the Wife's uncles is a Monk... he was given him a Merc by the family - are they not allowed to accept gifts such as cars ?