Stevemercer

These sort of trips are part of the work culture in Thailand. It always amazes me how workplaces organise seminars, workshops, conferences and professional training on weekends. In Australia nobody would go except on work time. Similarly, a government agency towards the end of the financial year will always be organising staff trips to soak up the surplus money. We've probably all been along on a few of these trips. Once or twice is enough for most foreigners. Driving 8 hours in a bus with full blast karaoke, an overnight stay and then back on the bus for the boozy 8 hour trip back. It's not for me. Having said this, I rarely hear about fatal accidents involving work trips. More usually it's family crowded in the back of a ute or a minibus on a commercial route. I know this doesn't help the OP, but I don't think there is much you can do about it.

Most road fatalities are caused by young men 18 - 25 years old. Maybe this high risk group should be banned from driving?

I don't think Saturday morning detentions are used at government schools, but maybe at private schools.

I don't think noise pollution is endemic to Thailand. As others have said, other South East Asian countries are the same or worse. Maybe most developing countries are similar. Lack of enforcement, poor planning, bribery/corruption and poor education/empathy for others all contribute. I sometimes think living in Thailand is similar to living in Australia in the 1970s. Rubbish everywhere, noise everywhere, dogs running wild and selfish people with no consideration for others. Australia (and other western countries, I guess) have long since cleaned up their act, but have also lost that personal freedom to do what you want. So where do you want to live - in a country where laissez faire is the rule or in a country where rule of the law is strictly enforced and big brother oversees everything you do?

The Chinese leader shook hands with all western leaders, but he will only shake hands if he is on the left, never on the right (as was the case with Prayut). The left is the power position because he can leave his body open for the cameras and merely extend his right hand. The person on the right is forced to move his right hand across his body, and pivot slightly, looking a bit subservient. The only person with whom Xi accepts the surbvervient position is with the US President. Certainly not with Prayut. I am surprised Prayut's advisers did not warn Prayut about this protocol.

For a full (5-7 day) ceremony 100,000 Baht is reasonable. This assumes an average of 50 visitors (basic food and drink) each day, 150 - 200 at the main event nd includes 30,000 for the basic costs (monks, flowers on loan, blown up photos and banners around the coffin, refrigeration, transport etc. Funerals are a well organised event in even the smallest village. A decent funeral can be put together within half a day or so. The family/organiser will get maybe 50,000 - 100,000 Baht back in donations. If you want to make a meaningful contribution, 25,000 Baht would be the minimum you could get away with without the wife loosing face with her family. I am assuming she would make her own top-up contribution if necessary (e.g. if the family split for her is >25,000), even if she has to 'borrow' the money without telling you. She will recover her 'top off' from any excess in donations.

I still enjoy a good read, but it can be a problem sourcing material if you live outside the big cities. I used to bring back half a briefcase of books whenever I went abroad. I found it too expensive and inconvenient to order books online. I finally moved over to a Kindle and still take that everywhere. You can download most books from The Pirate Bay. But the OP is right, I think, cuddling up and reading in a cooler climate is somehow more relaxing. Reading with the fan or air conditioning blasting away, and with a cold drink dripping condensation everywhere, is not so relaxing. Reading outside makes you a target for attack from a huge variety of kamakazi insects. I've always said that you can't sit or stand still outside in rural Thailand for more than 30 seconds without something having a go. Heaven forbid if you loose concentration (e.g. get engrossed in your book) because, sooner of later, you will be susceptible to a successful massed banzai attack despite all your passive defences.

I've lived in Thailand for 8 years now. I always said I would live here for 10 years and then make up my mind whether to stay or move back to Australia. I like Thailand and we can live here in reasonable style. Day to day costs are probably the same in Australia/Thailand, but housing is a quarter the cost. I'm in Australia at the moment for 3 weeks helping my Mum move Dad into an aged care home. I suspect Mum will need our help more and more. While in Austalia I miss our house and hobby farm in Thailand. But I wonder if one day I completely loose interest in women, have chronic health problems limiting my mobility, or am increasingly faced with my own mortality, maybe I would be more comfortable in Australia. I want to make that choice at the end of my 10 years living in Thailand (Thailand or Australia) while I still can, and before circumstances mean I have no choice or say in the matter.

Try playing western music in Thailand at the same sort of volume. People will not hesitate to complain and dob you in. The police will shut you down within an hour even if you have the correct paperwork.

Mine sometimes does this. Deleting unnecessary files in your browser (clearing your browser history) sometimes fixes the problem. If you have Chrome click on the 3 little vertical dots at the top right of the screen to access the menus/settings. You can also check in your browser settings to see if any 'extensions' have been added recently. If there are any, turn them off. While your at it, find your 'downloads' folder and delete any unnecessary files.

I remember reading something along these lines a few years back, related to discipline. Discipline, to put it mildly, is a quality in short supply in Thai culture. What we do have is plenty of the opposite, known in Thai as mug ngai. Mug ngai can be roughly defined as a tendency to take the easy way out with little concern for the inconvenience caused to others. Taking shortcuts by driving the wrong way or riding on footpaths is just one example. Paying bribes to traffic policemen, throwing trash on the ground, and performing shoddy work are all other examples of our mug ngai culture. But it's not just mundane matters where we see mug ngai in action. It's such an ingrained trait that we can find it in every nook and cranny of society -- in business, official work, legal circles, and in politics.

I agee It's like building a balcony that gets full sun or having a roof sitting area. Seems like a good idea, but in practice never gets used.

Just make sure you go for a heavier/more expensive gauge of galvanised gutters.

Finasteride (1 mg) daily will stop hair falling out from male pattern baldness, but nothing can regrow hair on a bald scalp.

I stroll around the estate park,and they all go for morning walks sine look like ex druggies ,old hippies,some driving those mobility scooters and many in their 60's on walking sticks looking very old. I think <deleted> where the F did these people go wrong to live in this awful government housing block ? They must of wasted their life . From the original post. They should all move to Thailand with their government pensions. Many people say Thailand is the best country in the worl to waste your life away.

The Thai Government wants a strong Baht and will keep supporting it. Provided the Government doesn't run out of money the Baht will stay relatively strong (compared to other Asian currencies). The Government still has horrors from the 1997 collapse.

I've just come back from Australia (winter). I'm the opposite. In Thailand I might pee half a dozen times during the night. In Australia it was never more than once or twice. I put it down to not drinking enough water in Thailand. In Australia, I probably drank the same amount as in Thailand, but it was sufficient in the colder climate and meant that I was in balance. In Thailand's heat I'm in deficit and need to <deleted> out more to get my blood salt levels balanced (e.g. <deleted> out more to reduce the volume of water). I know it sounds like it should be the other way around, but there you go. In a hot and humid climate drink more water to <deleted> less.

Jolly well done. Back in fine form, I see.

My wife is dual passport holder (Thai and Australian). She always enters/leaves Thailand on her Thai passport and enters/leaves Australia on her Australian passport. If you have the benefit of a dual passport, always use it when entering/leaving that country. Your daughter is a citizen of Thailand and should enjoy any privileges when she is in Thailand. Why should she travel as a tourist (even if only for a few weeks)?

I have a friend (woman) who befriended a farang earlier this year. The relationship went great guns for awhile. He already lived in Thailand and he suspected he had a Thai wife. One day when she wasn't home he stole 100,000 Baht of gold jewelry from her home and cut contact. She was too embarrased to admit she had made such a mistake and didn't want to make a song and dance. But she did have his passport details and made a report to police. While the police didn't chase it up, they placed the report on his record (including immigration). I doubt immigration will do anything, but it may be a shock to his wife when he next goes to immigration for an extension or something.

He got offside with his boss, the Chief of the RTP, by threatening to blow the lid on high level corruption associated with the immigration biometrics project (a pet project of the RTP Chief). I think he might have a different style if he makes it to Chief.

Rest in peace. I wonder if wearing certified motorbike helmets would of made any difference to the outcomes.

Hmm. I still have the same hair at age 65 as I had as a youth. I haven't changed a thing.

The RTP rotate their senior officers through the Chief of Police position for 2 years before they retire so as to boost their pensions. Such a person is going to go with the flow, not make waves, not rock the boat or do anything provocative. Under this sysyem of patronage nothing can ever change and the status quo will be maintained. It's the same with all the Thai Government departments. Change can only come from the top. If the RTP is corrupt it is because that's the way the senoir officers want it. The Police Commissioner is responsible and accountable for every corrupt practice by the rank and file under his command. By not doing anything he condones and supports it. By not calling the RTP into check, or making it accountable, the Thai government of the day condones the corruption (e.g. don't throw stones if you live in a glass house).

There is a very recent Chrome upgrade (Version 105.0.5195.54 ) that seems to have fixed most of the recent compatibility problems.