richard_smith237

Being overcharged for medical services isn't peculiar to foreigners. Thais get ripped off too. I knew a woman whose dog bit her at home, just nipped her really but enough to draw blood. At the hospital, they insisted she have the full treatment: full series of rabies shots, antibiotics, bandaging, etc. And the elderly in Thailand are the favorite target of scammers just as they are everywhere. I think your problem may be more with modern society rather than anything personal. Thailand has developed rather a reputation in South East Asia for having a lot of scammers... This has surfaced recently with 'local upset' at the phrase being used in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore... "Don't Thai to Me"... meaning don't lie or cheat me... The story is doing the rounds on Thai social media, but has also hit the Bangkok Post. https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/380989/we-lie-to-each-other-it-our-culture-to-cheat-to-lie-to-save-face-so-don-t-put-all-the-blame-our-politicians-says-voranai-vanijaka ....and for those who can read Thai or pick-apart a poor translation / transliteration... https://pantip.com/topic/31242084 https://www.thairath.co.th/news/politic/382737

...if it wasn't 100% made up nonsense. So is ALL the bumf Stiddle posts in the 'off the beaten path sub-forum - anti-vaxx' threads... he certainly doesn't let truth or reality get in the way of any information he consumes.....

Valid points... is 150 kmh sufficient ?? - as you highlighted - perhaps thats sufficient for the 6-8 circuits (or however many per day) they make.

Given that they only have a low range of 150kmh - I'd go for low capacity. Our 88kwh battery can be charged from about 20% to 80% relatively quickly in about 20-25mins at a fast charger. The real world range is approx 450kms... These busses are probably about 3-4x heavier than an EV SUV so a lot of the range is reduced by the extra weight. However, there is a lot more space for a lot more battery. So I'm wondering.. How old the battery tech is they are using... In comparison - the London Double Decker Electric bus with a 532kWh battery can travel 644km. The busses themselves cost about £400,000 (17.7 Million Baht)... So, the cost of 5 million baht possibly reflects simpler construction and older tech perhaps. Nevertherless : 2 hrs charing, a rotation of busses... this is only a good thing for any town from the perspective of noise and air-pollution. Though, as alluded to by another poster, the over all 'bigger picture' environmental friendliness of EV's is something I have long questioned...

Are they (Bangkok promoters) stating such with a straight face ???... Win riders as 'local leaders'... ... Since when have the local thugs, become local leaders ???

I recall at a restaurant years ago... a restaurant we went to charged 50 baht per cold tissue that we never used.. (those ice cold tissues from the freezer in a small plastic pack) So next time, we said went to the same restaurant we told the staff we didn't want them when the put them on our table - we were told we 'had to take them'... upon inquiry the manager reinforced this.. Simple solution: We left and never went back !!..

Was the 200 baht per person charge a 'minimum charge' per person ? or an additional charge per-person ? Either way... name the place - its not defamation to simply name a place that Charges Tax, Service and a 200 baht per person charge. Many bars charged an Entrance fee - 200 baht etc (with which you get one drink) its because of too many cheapskates to take up space without buying a drink etc.. But for a restaurant to charge like this is too cheeky... especially if its an additional charge. I've had many disucssions with many restaurants: Our Son is tall, and some buffet restaurants wanted to charge him as an adult rate when he was about 6 years old etc... I pointed out that the other kids at other tables are older than him - charge child fees or we walk ! (always worked).... The same goes for the 'Japanese restaurants that have a drink all you want for 2 hours promo'... I'd go with Wife and Son... Then they'd insist that my Wife has to do the promo too.... I ask why not my son ?... (being flippant) then they the manager and ask why they are forcing a pregnant lady to drink alcohol ?... But, I understand why some restaurants have such policies - to many people at some point have been cheating the system so the restaurant owners try and avoid this... We pay everything by card in most places that includes the 10% service fee. If a smaller place we are paying by QR Code... and will add on a tip - the issue of course is whether this gets to the staff.... (or Wife will hand some change over - in a small noodle stall etc). Some places charge an Air-Con fee !!! (its been discussed here)... Simple option - dont like it, vote with feet.

I think this gets to the stage where we are digging to find something to be outraged about... I've never seen a male Policemen wearing Lipstick or a dress.... Its not something I've ever thought about, its not something I'm outraged about, its not something I'm bothered to oxygenate...

I'm interested to know exactly how much the Average IQ of Thailand shifts when posters such as newbee, Harrisfan and Malcy fly in and out.....

You realise thats an App Filter, right ? - rather an obvious filter too...

Richard you only have to look at the road stats for accidents & fatalities to realise there is a problem in Thailand. Both in vehicles and on motor bikes they take uncalculated risks, I dont say that all Thai's are but generally speaking they are just undisciplined drivers and reverse parking or squeezing through traffic doesn't mean they are skilful. ....while I don't disagree that there are road safety issues in Thailand across the board.... from trucking, busses, delivery vehicles, motorcycles and pedestrians... as I've already shown, when you look at the stats and break them down, specifically for 4 wheeled+ vehicles they show how close Thailands road safety stats are to the USA. Thus: When you post "look at the road stats" - I'd suggest crunching a few numbers and seeing how the numbers look from your perspective.... For example: Work out how safe it is for you to drive a 4 wheeled vehicle in Thailand compared to the USA (this as already been carried out earlier on in this thread - but take a look yourself... then you will see that when actually looking AT the stats... the road safety for car users in Thailand is not quite as horrific as people are making out....

No... they didn’t pass him… because he got too many questions wrong !!! Or, to put it more precisely – the phrasing of the translated questions often left just enough ambiguity to cause confusion, making consistently accurate answers a challenge – especially when some questions seem to lack a clearly correct option at all. The Department of Land Transport is one of the rare government offices that treats foreigners with the same cool indifference it shows to locals. There's absolutely no suggestion of “tea money” changing hands to help someone pass a test or secure a licence. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who’s ever been encouraged – subtly or otherwise – to slip a backhander to a DLT official just to avoid failing the licensing process. Though - from the 'testing side of things' there are agents who 'can' smooth things over for a cost - this is something most posters have never found necessary.

You suspect the vast majority Get the <deleted> out of here 😂 Yeah.... "suspect" because its an unknown... these discussion have been killed off and we're left with the occasional meme such as yours before getting kicked off Facebook or some other platform for not being 'politically correct' towards minority groups....

I keep my car license in the car... and my bike license in the bike pocket.... I carry a ver minimalist wallet as I hardly ever use case these days... But, I'll probably end up tripping myself up when travelling to Phuket etc and hiring a car - though the DLT App on our phone also has our license, and this is now legal - though convincing a policeman (who doesn't know about this) of this, may be more challenging !!!... I can't recall the last time I was asked to show my Driving License at a Police check point - so I've not had chance to try the DLT App option.

I think its becasue there are so many facets to life here... Some things here are better, even wonderful - others, less so. Take taxis, for example. In discussions about them, the tone often leans negative: drivers refusing to use the meter, being rude or dismissive, no seatbelt, poor driving etc. These issues crop up frequently, and over time they wear thin. Familiarity with such patterns can breed a kind of contempt, and that naturally finds its way into our commentary. Yet if we step back, we might realise we've just paid 200 baht (around $6) for a journey that should’ve cost 87 baht and in the West, the same trip might run to $30. But that’s not the point, is it? We’re not in the West, and we’re not trying to impose Western standards. We're simply reflecting on our experiences. Unfortunately, when such observations are made, there are always some who project from their own narrow lens, accusing us of "Thai bashing" or suggesting we harbour disdain for the country and its people. That’s both simplistic and untrue. What’s actually happening is a mix of fair, often factual observations - whether about road safety, apathetic policing, systemic corruption, or dual pricing. These topics will naturally invite critical commentary. That doesn’t mean we’re blind to the positives. Far from it. Most people are capable of holding two thoughts at once: recognising flaws while still appreciating the many joys of life in Thailand. For the vast majority of us, Thailand remains a net positive. And those who find the net positive here are, more often than not, the same kind of people who would find it the 'net positive' anywhere - grounded, adaptable, and emotionally resilient. Those who can’t... will likely carry their dissatisfaction wherever they go.

So true. I watch some of these reckless fools - without a shred of self-preservation - and often find myself wondering how long they’ve got left. It’s the same thought I have when I see some lunatic tearing down Sukhumvit at 2am (BKK) on a high-powered sportbike. But then, at the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got the fresh-faced tourist wobbling down the street on a rented scooter, barely in control because they’ve never ridden one before - and somehow, the lack of self-preservation looks just as stark. The sight of children on scooters is genuinely tragic. I understand the economic necessity in some cases, but I’d still expect any responsible, loving parent to exercise extreme caution - and at the very least, put a helmet on their kid. When they don’t, and instead ride with casual recklessness, it’s hard not to see it as a total disregard for safety, for life itself. There’s a kind of fatalism at play - and while some seem resigned to it, others appear to be tempting fate with alarming enthusiasm.

A number of years ago... I thought I was being cute and went a 'day after' my Birthday to get the 6 years thingy... I'd royally stuffed up on the expiry date and was a year too late.... I went a 'Year +1 day' after expiry of my existing license, and had to start the process again with 2yrs Temp, then 5 year License - my own fault - the DLT officer told me that there is a 1 year grace period, had I turned up the day earlier I'd renew to another 5 year license !!!

Your meme is spot on - I suspect the vast majority of people would agree without hesitation. Unfortunately, it’s a conversation that’s been knee-capped by the guardians of wokeness. To so much as question the façade and pantomime of certain attention-seekers is to risk being branded ‘homophobic’, regardless of the actual intent or content of the critique. I’ve personally been accused of homophobia on this forum for expressing the very same observations highlighted in the meme. The accusation, predictably out of context, came from a particularly fragile member of the gay community here. It wasn’t a sincere rebuttal, but rather a lazy attempt at point-scoring by someone evidently lacking the emotional or intellectual tools to engage in thoughtful, good-faith discourse. It’s a tired cheap shot - one that specific poster fires off frequently. I think many of us have gay friends... just normal mates - regular guys we meet in the pubs and play football with etc - not really any point of discussion there... But... There are men who genuinely feel they should have been born female - and that’s where the distinctions within the ever-expanding LGBTQ+acronym start to matter. But that's a conversation better suited for another thread. That said, if a bloke in a dress can have a normal, grounded conversation with me, I’ve got no issue at all. In fact, just a few weeks ago in a small bar in Bangkok - live music, laid-back vibe - I was there with friends, watching a band. I briefly chatted with the guy next to me... It was quite dark, and we were commenting on the music, he had bright-red-hair, was wearing lipstick, eyeliner, and a skirt on... None of that mattered - it had been a perfectly organic, normal interaction about the band... that was that - no biggie.

So it's not really 6 years then, e.g. if I renewed it today, lets say a day after my birthday (22/06/2025), then the expiry date on the next renewed license would be 23/06/2030). Or would it be 22/06/2031 ? IF your Birthday is on 22-June... IF you renew your DL on 22-June your DL will expire on 22-June 2030 (5 years) IF you renew your DL on 23-June your DL will expire on 22-June 2031 (6 years)

🤪🤪😪🤣 I dont know if to cry or laugh.....we are still talking about driving a car ?? Not going to a University?🙄 The same principles apply... Better driver education makes safer roads... a test is a form of 'proving' that the education is understood. Japan has one of the most stringent driving courses and testing programs - it has the safest roads in the world of any 'larger country'.. (i.e. not tiny nations like Monaco or Singapore)

Oh, I like that, go one day after my birthday and get 6 years. Is that for the same 300 baht that I pay for 5 years ? Its exactly the same licence, same costs etc... Its one of those 'Thai idiosyncrasies'... the DLT seems to simply works out the DL expiry on a basis of '5 birthdays from now'... and thats it.

That doesnt make them skilled drivers Richard!! It actually does - Thai's a are better at reverse parking as well, because that seems to be the only way they park !!!... they know the spacing of their car when vying for space on the roads etc... The motorcyclists are skilled riders zipping in and out of traffic. I'd argue there are no less skilled than drivers else where... But that is a different perspective than 'risk' so the motorcyclist zipping through traffic, may be skilled at controlling his bike, but he has no road sense which is something different.

Thats an interesting point - I think I highlighted that the issue is far more multifaceted that simplified by the stats I presented, Thats said: I don't think 41% of accidents involving motorcyclists are caused by 'car drivers'... It's impossible to know for sure of course, but I'd highlight that in many such cases the motorcyclist had no insurance, so it was the insurance of the 'car driver' who's insurance covered the costs, this is then logged at a 'statistic'. I don't actually believe the roads in Thailand are less dangerous for car drivers than in the USA - but what all the stats show us, even yours (using 41% car driver fault rates) shows how close Thailand and USA are on the stats. This highlights significant bias on our part (many of us) when being so derogatory towards Thai driving - US drivers are just as bad, or not far from it comparatively (USA 4.5x more dangerous than the UK / Thailand 6x more dangerous than the UK). Crunching the stats never presents the full accurate story of course - we can get into factors such as highway miles, city mileage etc... And I see so much dumb road use here where self preservation is absent - but I think those events lock in our mind, and we project drawing from bias that the driving in Thailand is terrible, when in reality its not that bad, but though there are a minority of outright fools.

The large percentage of injured, maimed, dead people can attest to that. 80% of road deaths are accidents... Approx half of those because of no helmet wear. When comparing like for like - 4 wheeled vehicles (i.e. removing motorcycles from the stats) on a per-capita basis the USA fatality stats are worse than Thailands.... I'm not defending the standards of the driving in Thailand - but I am pointing out that optics through which we as 'westerners' look at driving here can be quite distorted. I need to make an edit for that: 80% of road deaths are motorcyclists... Approx half of those because of no helmet wear. When comparing like for like - 4 wheeled vehicles (i.e. removing motorcycles from the stats) on a per-capita basis the USA fatality stats are worse than Thailands.... I'm not defending the standards of the driving in Thailand - but I am pointing out that optics through which we as 'westerners' look at driving here can be quite distorted. ------- To the stats: Thai Stats: WHO Figures: 25,000 road deaths per annum in Thailand. 80% motorcyclists: leaving 5000 road deaths for 4 wheeled vehicles or more Population 71.7 Million = 6.97 Road Deaths per 100,000 people. USA Stats: In 2023: 40,901 road deaths per annum in the USA 15% motorcyclists: leave 34,566 road deaths for 4 wheeled vehicles or more Population: 334.9 Million = 10.32 Road Deaths per 100,000 people. Obviously other facets come into this such as the distance people drive, so 'death rate, per 100,000 of population per 100,000 KM driven would be a more accurate comparison - but its difficult to dig out those stats) This is what the net drags up - for ALL road deaths including motorcycles: Thailand By population: ~25.4 deaths per 100,000 population By vehicle distance: ~112 deaths per 10 billion vehicle-km Removing 80% motorcycles: 22.8 deaths per 10 billion vehicle-km (non-motorcycle) United Kingdom By population: ~2.6 deaths per 100,000 population By vehicle distance: ~28 deaths per 10 billion vehicle-km Removing 19% motorcycles: 22.7 deaths per 10 billion vehicle-km (non-motorcycle) United States By population: ~12.8 deaths per 100,000 population By vehicle distance: ~70 deaths per 10 billion vehicle-km Removing 15% motorcycles: 59.5 deaths per 10 billion vehicle-km (non-motorcycle) The conclusion there is: When removing motorcycles from the equation the USA is nearly 3x more dangerous than Thailand which, on a per vehicle-Km basis (i.e. per distance travelled per vehicle) the UK and Thailand have similar road fatality stats: A lot of people won't like that... but is simple enough to work out the stats yourselves and find the info if you can be bothered. It's doesn't tell the whole story, because we do see some crazy stuff here... but it stats don't quite paint the same picture as some of the comments here.

The large percentage of injured, maimed, dead people can attest to that. 80% of road deaths are accidents... Approx half of those because of no helmet wear. When comparing like for like - 4 wheeled vehicles (i.e. removing motorcycles from the stats) on a per-capita basis the USA fatality stats are worse than Thailands.... I'm not defending the standards of the driving in Thailand - but I am pointing out that optics through which we as 'westerners' look at driving here can be quite distorted.