geisha

Drugs are wreaking havoc on Thailands families. Something has to be done. You can see the addicts everywhere, especially in tourist zones where there are higher bidders. It’s been a huge problem since I can remember, when I was in Phuket many years back y’a ba was everywhere. Even with taxis and tuc tucs . Drugs ruin families, relationships, childrens home lives suffer , and as we’ve seen this week in Buriram, kills them too. The government has left this very late to reduce/ stop it , cheap factories producing tons of dangerous stuff are everywhere around the Thai borders. Anyone can buy it, kids , adults it’s that cheap. while they’re at war, maybe have a look at the alcohol problem in their ranks.

So, was the victim hit by a blunt object , or not ? Is there a stone or hammer lingering in the bushes ? I suppose that if the poor boy did set himself on fire, he would rather have been unconscious ? If the people who saw him buy the gasoline are credible , then it does look like suicide. Awful to want to die like that.

I would leave too if someone tried to force me into an illegal war on a sovereign country. If it was to fight for my home country I would stay. Not all Russians are Putin lovers. If they have the money , why shouldn’t they leave ? A huge amount of Russians have condos in Thailand and homes in many other countries, or have left Russia a long time ago. They can get visas , renew them, do border hops, stay in Cambodia, Vietnam, Bali for a long time on their savings. Anywhere that will have them. These countries aren’t reserved exclusively for Europeans and Americans.

It doesn’t say that. It said the wife said he’d come back the previous night with his family. His mother came back with him. Also it doesn’t say how long he’d been away, years or on a holiday ? Maybe it was theft and there was a lot of money in his wallet ? Maybe it was a jealous neighbor ?

Maybe the government ought to dig deep and find the reason for all these terrible murders and act . Drugs, alcohol abuse, corruption, poverty , in your face prostitution, violence in homes and on the streets. There’s a lot going on that needs fixing. Unfortunately there are only a few good experienced cops in their force. ( one name mentioned often) . They need more educated men to take on such a task..

How about fully charged speeding down a hill ?

Unlike you, most of us are not living in cloud cuckoo land. Nothing wrong in pointing out the shoddy stuff you come across here . Sometimes it’s laughable, sometimes you trip up and break a leg !!!!

I think you are all exaggerating a bit. I’ve seen much worse photos of murders/ accidents etc in Thailand and sometimes graphic images on front pages. Nobody , so far, has stopped that or written about the reporters distasteful ethics. Why now. It should be stopped all together , forbidden by law. ( for everyone).

Sorry, I meant « if the lady concerned « not that.

Samui being a small island, I suppose all the foreigners know a bit about their neighbours. Would not surprise me that the lady concerned had contact in some way with the Russian bitcoin story last week. Not all overstayers are nice people.

A British friend of mine who was a teacher of Chinese ,now teaches English to Chinese students. She’s very successful and can work from anywhere in the world with a good internet connection.

So what if you don’t have a Thai friend or his/ her number ? What if you don’t have a Thai number yet ? Do you put your country number ? I do hear that some people are targeted. Been coming though for many years now ( since they abolished the double entry visa) and never been asked a single question. I always have an onward ticket to somewhere but never been asked for that either. My PP pages were full of entrée and exit stamps plus visas from,Cambodia/ Myanmar and Bali etc.

What ! No one should be in such a bar where kids are used for prostitution. Poor schmucks indeed !

I would say the problem is being attracted to girls who look so young. Choose someone older if you must.

Making excuses are you ? Shame they weren’t caught before. It’s messing with kids . With all the girls in Pattaya I’d have thought there was enough choice without using kids !

It’s true that when you first visit a country, be it Thailand or elsewhere, everything is new and exciting. If you stay longer there’s usually a reason, but it’s got nothing to do with the status it holds , best this, best that ! Mostly , years back it was so much cheaper so easier to appreciate to a max. I stayed through the EU winters, as millions of snowbirds, because the weather is great in the dry season . Then also you get used to the system , renting, shopping, best local hospitals etc and then you end up staying,,or doing the same thing year in year out. Boredom often sets in with me, so up till Covid hit I traveled a lot outside Thailand., For newcomers it will probably be nicer, but if the government doesn’t pull its socks up and fix everything that’s breaking down, they won’t come back. Polls tell you hardly anything.

I really like that area but no Baht bus goes by. Visited a few condos once, really nice, but a long walk up to the bus! I don’t drive in Thailand and stay only 4 months. From what I’ve seen Wongamat to Central Festival has a Baht bus, and easily walkable to Terminal 21 ? Ive always stayed near beach rd Jomtien since moving from Phuket and Hua Hin. I love to walk and prefer avoiding the Baht bus . When I go to Tesco’s I take a taxi.

So just in case I’d change from Jomtien, where are the best rental condos please ? Nice sunny swimming pool a must and modern , easy walking reach of beach road . Thanks.

Probably, I can’t remember ! My first mobile that was any good was a Nokia that I bought in Phuket when the tsunami hit ! My family and friends were all freaking out about not knowing if I was alive, hurt or what. I went straight to DTAC which was miraculously open and took out a proper package. i did have a fixed phone in my place as I was renting from an American/ Thai journalist, I also had a fax machine , tv and cassette player , was I posh ! But nothing was working due to the lines being down hence the Nokia. I still get the shivers when I hear the typical Nokia ring !!

I sat in a nice cool Starbucks and read the newspapers.´

40 years of bangkok visits and holidays and never had a problem. Even without meter in town you can get a very good price. They earn their money, breathing that poison and traffic jams all day long ! Now, Phuket is another kettle of fish. Ever since my first long stay in 84 there’s been trouble with them. Even driving drunk as I unfortunately found out on 2 occasions. In Phuket, they sit on their backsides all day long waiting for a client, wouldn’t it be more sense to have reasonable fixed prices and work a good days wages ? Or is that asking too much. In stead of moving around Phuket visiting all the beautiful beaches , Phuket town, temples, tourists stay on the beach all day instead, or take the local wooden bus to very few locations. No one can set up a proper bus route as the taxis won’t allow it ! One tried, and after half an hour was stopped before Patong hill , the driver pushed on the floor and threatened ! That was the end of that. Another tourist parked in « their » space with his hire car . ( one poor tourist innocent family man) the taxis attacked him, one with a metal bar ! Was not a pretty site, his family sitting in the car screaming. Needless to say I moved away. I went back for 6 weeks in January to see my old friends, and nothing has changed. A KM long queue of empty taxis.

I have never been checked at the airport for my watch. Coming in to EU yes with a new watch. My friend paid the duty.´But with a 9 yr old watch ?

True, but if unfortunately someone near you sneezed a Covid sneeze right in your masked face then maybe a mask helps ? I’ve always hated those people who cough and sneeze without trying to avoid other people , use your elbow if you don’t have a tissue . Just as those that spit in public ! Yuck !

The biggest threat to long haul tourism now is Putin ! Countries economies all over the world are suffering. The EU, US, UK, are having huge problems because of this maniac. While the summer season has been fantastic all over the EU ( better than pre Covid) the economic future is looking bleak. I’m quite sure everyone who reads the news is aware. In EU flights are full all over October , especially with its school half terms hols. I tried flights to UK to visit family, either full or astronomical prices, then I tried Rome and Venice, same thing. People are just staying close to home and have booked in advance. Less expensive, easier, and uncomplicated holidays are the thing now. I doubt very much that international tourists to Thailand will be coming in their masses until the Russia Ukraine tragic problem is solved.

Up until a few months ago the beach area Boots in phuket had their med counter closed completely and only sold non meds. I’ve always found a pharmacist in Boots Pattaya/Bangkok and phuket’ town before, and if there isn’t one on duty they pull a blind down over the products. Last time in Jomtien a kid of about 14 served me !!!