Thai Dan

6 minutes ago, mikebike said:

???????????????????????? ya crack me up!!

I'm here all week!

https://group.met.com/fyouture/natural-gas-vs-coal/66

(the first result from a search)

50% cleaner than coal.  Natural gas plants can be idled and turned to full power, or anything in between, 24/7.

But I must apologize: This is about Tuk Tuks, and I think it's fine if they move all 20k+ of them to battery power.

I have a feeling the Tuk Tuks that Bangkok Metal Works is talking about producing are based on the following study:

https://www.engineeringforchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Tuk-Tuk-in-Thailand.pdf

And anything under THB 100,000 will be without the batteries (read the study).

My issues center more around setting close/near deadlines to convert ALL or produce ONLY electric vehicles by some arbitrary date with no way to pay for it without bankrupting an already bankrupt population, and in many cases taking away their livelihood in the same stroke.  Don't give corruption a chance either, please.....

8 minutes ago, Nojohndoe said:

If solar is expanded it will  eat into the 22 percent of coal based generation. LPG is still the main expensive generation source.

At what cost and what environmental impact?  LPG is a good, clean option and Thailand should be proud they have gone that route to the extent they have.  Pushing for more solar and wind, with the associated costs and environmental impacts in the current covid economy (not to mention this administration), would be the final nails in the coffin.  Would you like to see the economy recover?  Most people would.

7 minutes ago, Nojohndoe said:

If they prove reliable good move. Local production  good move.

Why some people harp on about the lack of  sound  from electric vehicles is amusing. Many, if not most, modern cars are near silent at nominal urban speeds anyway unless some clown goes to the trouble of making them a noisy variation of pollution.

Natural gas is much cleaner than coal and relatively cheap.  Thailand produces approximately 5.5 kWh of electricity from solar out of a total electricity generation of approximately 170 kWh.  I say enforce the LPG rules for now.

More data from EIA:

49 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

 

excellent news. i've been talking about this for years, still can't believe it's actually happening, a really positive move - might need an incentivised push to get the old versions off the road. the current tuk tuks are noisy, polluting and dangerous - though i accept this is often due to the idiot driving.

 

electric vehicles are coming, this is a start, the support infrastructure now needs to be put in place in bangkok and thailand as a whole, ideally with government subsidy/grants. thailand is already behind the curve in this but if they get going now they will not be as far behind as in other transportation initiatives; e.g. a high speed, or even modern, railway system, moving towards trams, which many western cities started a decade or more ago.

And where does Thailand's electricity come from?  Trading LPG for coal?  Hmm.

Maybe if they install windmills on the farmland and the beaches all will be good!

Let's see if the "authorities" somehow tie this to the foreign tourist that was just found murdered.

Probably not, but you never know where opportunity may present itself....

Just made a purchase using Bangkok Bank CC yesterday, no problems.

When I have had problems in the past, it was something to do with my CC.  Usually that Bangkok Bank, or my wife and I, had made a mistake in processing or in paying.  In one instance we had paid our CC in full but didn't realize the CC company had not included a recent large purchase when we called in for a balance check.

Not saying any of those reasons necessarily apply in your case, but the CC companies/banks can produce frustrations at times and the robots on the telephone, sometimes, don't make things exactly clear either.  Good luck sorting it out, and I'm pretty confident you will.

The same test that Elon Musk got 4 of in one day.  2 positive; 2 negative.  Like football/soccer!

1 hour ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Are insurers now able to refer to any type of independent database, either at the DLT or OIC, to access an insured's driving or claims records? This was what I had in mind when I made the original post. It wasn't the case in the past, but times change.

 

Agree that driving records outside of Thailand don't account for anything here.

Dunno, to be honest.  Only saw the question on the enrollment forms.  But it did calculate a discount based on that one question, so I would tend to believe they have a way of verifying.  Who knows?  Anyone know an insurance agent with a clue?

On 7/24/2021 at 7:03 AM, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I believe a driver's personal claims record does not follow the driver around from insurer to insurer the way it does in some other countries. In my experience, one is charged the standard premium unless one has at-fault claims and renews with the same insurer, in which case the premium may go up. Many people change insurers after the year in which they have a claim in order to avoid premium increases.

 

I believe a driver's personal claims record does follow them from a Thai insurer to a Thai insurer, based on changes I have made and one of the questions on the enrollment forms being about claims previously made with previous insurers.  But I'm quite sure they don't take a driver's record in other countries into account.  Besides, insurance in Thailand is well priced so it's hard to complain even if you choose to pay @ THB 18k at most of the big name insurance companies.

37 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

There probably would have been if everyone was not so afraid of COVID. 

Convenient, isn't it?

22 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

wow brave to be doing that and risk prison. 

Odd that these protests would be happening at the same time as a serious uptick in positive tests....

Or is it?

4 hours ago, natway09 said:

Not so smart, driving yourself under the circumstances, but yes, generally Thai people will help & give (what they can ill afford) generally country folk & those brought up there.

Unfortunately most of the  the wealthier city kind are more of a closed shop when comes to Farangs

(Very obvious when I play golf ay a predominantly Thai course)

With respect, city folk anywhere are a bit "more of a closed shop".   And, again with respect, what kind of generosity do you expect at a golf course?  Golf courses in Thailand are sort of Hi-So in my experience.  But YMMV.

On 6/6/2021 at 6:12 PM, Crossy said:

 

There is definitely a "dispute a charge" facility (Citi Thailand) but I've never actually had to use it. Which is of course why I'm posting here hopefully for someone with actual experience with a Thai based card.

I've made lots of purchases for high $$ items from Lazada.  One was for a great deal on on an OLED TV, of which the Lazada seller offered a better deal than anyone else by a margin of almost 20k THB, and I had no problems.  The TV has worked flawlessly for 3 years so far.  For best security for high $$ items, I use credit card.  Our CCs are with Bangkok Bank and yes we've had to dispute charges made via them before, successfully and with full cooperation.  Lazada themselves have been cooperative with returns in most cases.  The last time I had a problem with a product we had to go into dispute with the seller with Lazada mediating, and in that instance we got a replacement product that worked fine (Just under 6k THB).

5 hours ago, robblok said:

He needs to be locked up key thrown away for doing a runner, and no evidence they got him with her the night of the murder. What do you want cctv image of the murder ?. Chances highly likely he did it the timeline fits. Of course he denies it and of course he admits to taking her home. Bit hard to deny video evidence and DNA in your home.

 

You seem to know what they have lets wait and see, he will get a fair trial and then he will be locked up (at least for doing a runner). Besides running never made anyone look innocent chances of guilty really high.

On the other hand, would you feel sure that the RTP were going to fully investigate other/alternative evidence, or even look for any, or take your side of the story seriously (hypothetically speaking, Mr. Looker in this case)?  Or would you be fairly concerned that they might just be happy that they have someone to charge with the crime and have you convicted, with possibly nothing more than circumstantial evidence?

4. Circumstantial Evidence

Also known as indirect evidence, this type of evidence is used to infer something based on a series of facts separate from the fact the argument is trying to prove. It requires a deduction of facts from other facts that can be proven and, while not considered to be strong evidence, it can be relevant in a workplace investigation, which has a different burden of proof than a criminal investigation.

1 minute ago, treetops said:

 

Probably wouldn't be allowed to board the flight in the first place without a test.

I was thinking the same thing, but since I don't recall that detail from my friend I didn't want to speak out of hand.

6 hours ago, zzzzz said:

for Americans>> NO quarantine on arrival>
good friend just flew back to LA on monday , got his J&J shot on weds

flew Phuket-Singapore-LA

No quarantine IF you have that negative test result.   My friend (also a U.S. citizen) just told me this last night, since he recently arrived there and related his experience to me when I asked.

1 hour ago, phetpeter said:

If you pay into the Social security fund, you will be able to get free treatment in hospital and limited dental care etc. Pay in for 15 years you will also get a pension. I started in government school and when the contract ended I received unemployment benefit. I now pay 400+ per month. 2 months ago had 2nd heart attack, was rushed to Korat and received a stent and great treatment transfer by ambulance there and back. Total cost: nothing, zero. The government hospital in Thailand, can be overloaded (Chayaphum) and others good (Nong bua Daeng) and my normal is excellant (Phetchabun) All hospitals now have a fleets of Ambulance that look after you. Private hospitals can and will suck your money quicker than your last breath, and think nothing about putting you in their Ambulance and taking you to a government hospital for treatment...go figure. I would suggest popping down to your local social security office sign up, yourself and wifey, trust me treatment costs are the one thing you don't want to create concerns.

@phetpeter Would very much appreciate it if you could provide more details about how one might go about paying into the Social security fund.  I would do it in a heartbeat, if I just knew where to go and how to sign up.

12 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

Your spurious 'cancer' analogy aside, is rust and corrosion a serious issue in Thailand though? I see more Tata's on the dry and humidity-free roads of Isaan these days.

The fact that I found it to be an issue here in Isaan should tell you something (Yes, I live in Isaan too).  IF they were on the roads of the northern U.S. in winter, I don't think they'd be roadworthy enough to pass inspection after a couple of years.  But, at their price point they are bound to get sales here, wouldn't you agree?.  You tell us though: next time you see them on the roads, look closer and see if they have rust.  Do come back here and tell us all, okay?

Your questions inspired me to look deeper.  Thanks for that.  It turns out Tata cars/trucks don't sell in the U.S.  And for Europe, here is a chart from carsalesbase.com that seems rather self explanatory (Note: the Sales numbers are actual number of units):

2 hours ago, heybruce said:

"Most investigated President in history."?

 

Really?  Are you old enough to remember the Whitewater investigation?  When the initial investigation couldn't find any criminal activities by the Clintons, Kenneth Starr was given carte blanche to spend as much time and money as necessary to dig up any kind of dirt on either the President or his wife.  That's how Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about a BJ.  Think about that; an investigation into a real estate deal led to the President being interrogated about a BJ.

 

Can you imagine what might have been found if Mueller had been given unlimited time, money and scope of investigation?  Can you imagine how long Trump would have lasted if he'd had to testify without lying to Congress?

How long was the Mueller investigation?  Does the report say he was not cleared or did it say they should keep investigating?  Please quote the report and provide a link, if you would be so kind.

As for impeachment, even Ken Starr said it should not have happened:

Ken Starr says Trump’s second impeachment 'unconstitutional' and sets 'dangerous precedent'