LatPhrao

This subject Loud Noise is a serious problem and appears to be getting worse! On top of the night time entertainment joints, there are restaurants, the MRT loudspeakers while waiting a train, the advertisement that run on some MRT trains. Add to the unwanted noise, the types of noise and 'music' that plays is jarring, never smooth or synchronous with surroundings. In restaurants I am not spending 1000 to 3000 thb for a meal while suffering the crap, loud, banging, whinging noises over their sound system. And now in parallel, in public spaces including mass transit, advertising is now huge panels, everywhere you go, gaudy, horrible, brightly lit, pushing products and services. The absolute antithesis of what Thailand is supposed to be. And add to that the main streets/roads of Bangkok are jammed with cars - more a parking lot than a throughway. And the public transit systems are jammed with riders - MRT and BTS. All together it's effing awful getting around Bangkok. Oh, not to forget the pedestrians on the streets, blocking sidewalks, no sense of direction or respect for other people. To say nothing of the shameful appearance of 90% of the falangs If there was a contest for ugly awful looking people, poorly dressed and oeverwegiht there would be many winners to claim the title. And, if you don't have a gold earring and a parrot on your shoulder - do not show up in public with tattoos!

Said the Toad

I was recently ejected from a taxi because I asked to turn the bleeding loud Thai radio station down. Not off, just volume down. He preferred to listen to the radio. grrrrrrrrr!!!

Maybe this will compel the new government to abolish the hideous taxes and duties on imported wines! Since they seem to be looking for ways to garner more tourism and tourist spending. Here's the said truth anyone living here day to day must suffer to have a decent glass of wine. We get whacked heavily: In Thailand for wine there is a tariff of 60 percent on imports. All other taxes compound off from the imports cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) plus the tariff cost.

And they have a very helpful staff dedicated to the wine section there. There is so much wine on their shelves, can be a challenge to locate the wines by country but they will guide you quickly and make suggestions.

Villa Market in Bangkok has excellent selections generally, especially the store on Sukhumvit or at their Ari store. A fine French Rhone red can be found there or also on the shelf in some 7-11s. 399 thb The brand names starts with B, as in the word Beauville.

Isn't that the Truth! And some posters on this subject here included.

Said the idiot...

Hurray!! There is a God after all.

Encouraging news given the outbreaks of violence and volatile protests worldwide on the occasion of Israel's response to Hamas attacks. Thailand getting in the vanguard of warding off possible violence and tragedies. Bangkok has a sizable middle eastern population in and around that ghetto, Soi 3 and surrounds.

The better question - where do you hide yourself? Your front yard? I have never seen anyone anywhere repairing or installing sidewalks! I.e., no work is being done. With the exception of a stretch along Sukhumvit Soi 14 to 10, it's an obstacle course of the many and varied.

Complaining the endlessly broken and unprepared sidewalks of Bangkok and hoping for a change? Like a Monty Python sketch: " Oh, we used to dream of livin' in a corridor! Would ha' been a palace to us. We used to live in an old water tank on a rubbish tip. We got woke up every morning by having a load of rotting fish dumped all over us! House? Huh." Add to that no trash cans to be found on the streets.. Although just of late someone has been, accidentally I'm sure, leaving a few here and there.

Lost you on 'I think...' because obviously you don't. Completely h-u-y-a

That is some GOOD news!

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men do nothing.

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men do nothing.

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men do nothing.

Putin is Hitler.

Disgusting and shameful !!!

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.” John Stuart Mill 1867

Unfortunately now in Bangkok the little book shop on Sukhumvit has gone and the bar that was a small haven for writers and relics also gone. So hard to know but doing a google search and his biography his last novel was in 2007. Bangkok Haunts, Alfred A. Knopf (New York, NY), 2007.

Having lived here before, during and after the Coup and witnessing the many magical and mysterious wrinkles that went down along the way to making Prayuth lord and master of the realm - well, nothing could surprise. This one is made to order for the next John Burdett novel. Bangkok (insert name here) and it ain't over yet.

After the Yellow Line was activated and running above and over Lad Phrao, looking up I started wondering about this, as that BTS/MRT line has no shields. Main line of BTS running down Sukhumvit, for example does have them. And as a pedestrian more concerned about watching for the broken everywhere sidewalks and falling down or in.. Like the escalator catastrophe at Don Meung you never think about these things - they always seem to work, until one doesn't! One of the reasons I refrain from smoking weed and going out and about Bangkok thinking everything irie mon !

Just turned 77 and, playing off of that fave tv series 77 Sunset Strip, it is looking a bit like now heading down sunset strip. Perish the thought, after so many years of questioning whether I might be immortal after all said and done. Fortune to of inherited good and long good health, life has been a rich gambit for me beyond any dreams or expectations, fortunate to appreciate much that it has to offer, and I suspect I'll continue to find life's little pleasures in the day to day and the various ways one has to entertain oneself even in limited situations. Keep a good attitude, forgo self pity, look for the silver linings and do not go silently into that dark night. Take the good with the bad going forward and knock on wood.