fusion58

Depends on how you define "effective." The first generation vaccines, while not guaranteed to prevent infection, are still effective enough to reduce the likelihood of severe illness and death from all COVID variants. My physician in the U.S., who, BTW, is also a specialist in infectious diseases and virology, advised me to get another booster here in Thailand as it had been ~6 months since my last booster and I had no plans to travel to the U.S. until late spring or early summer this year.

Yep. From what I've observed, the Buddha is little more than a good luck charm for the average Thai. Most of these crassly materialistic money grubbers couldn't name a precept or a sutra if their lives depended on it. In any case, I'm no Buddhist scholar, but I'm pretty sure the Buddha never advised his followers that money and social status were the only basis for respect and human dignity.

Great job. Maybe for their next act they can do something about these imbeciles who ride their motorcycles on the sidewalks.

That’s a whole lot of transfers to inactive posts!

Not sure why service people here pretend like you don’t exist when you’re with your Thai GF or spouse. Hell, it even happens to me in restaurants when I order from the menu in Thai language, i.e., the waitress invariably brings my food to my wife.

Better idea: How about “marking her death” by creating a police which actually prioritizes law enforcement? /pipe dream

This is Thailand, where knowing one's place in the pecking order is everything. ????????

????

Indeed. ”Appearances over substance” might well be the national motto.

My last trip to SR was in 2015, and the place was overrun by the same social retards who amass at places like King Power. Haven’t been back since. YMMV.

How far is the Jokester willing to go with this? Might as well just disband the entire RTP force.

This is Thailand, where appearances, social status and prestige are everything.

Pics of the GF, please. Curious to see what a 13MB Porsche buys you.

5 or 6 am.

It might not be quite so bad if they actually knew anything about live sound mixing.

Unless you’re an American, in which case healthcare is considerably cheaper here in Thailand.

Learned recently that the parents of an acquaintance of mine were among those patrons of the casino who perished in the fire. A tragic and senseless loss of life indeed.

Bingo. I believe you just hit on all the reasons why Thailand is destined to remain a “developing” country in perpetuity.

Hey, I was assured that it's only a matter of time before the hordes of deep-pocketed foreigners who have chosen Thailand over the French Riviera arrive on these shores.

Yep. Monopolies are never good for consumers; just look at U.S, telecoms and their “don’t like our service? Tough <deleted> - what are you gonna do about it?” business models.

…and when one’s brown envelope isn’t fat enough.

“Drink driving?” ????

Had he been driving a Ford rather than a Bentley, then I have a feeling we’d be reading a totally different narrative here.

Penalties for whom? Let’s not pretend they’re the same for everybody.

Too sad for words. I have the utmost respect for Mr. Beck, and, although he wasn’t one of my foremost guitar heroes growing up, some of his contemporaries and closest friends certainly were. The Grim Reaper is getting much too close to home!