geisha

I certainly believe there are problems ahead. At the moment it’s the wild weather changes, it’s either flooding or dry as a bone. Of course the petrol and gas problems are world wide, and they are pushing prices up enormously. It will concern everybody and everything . Transport if it’s for goods or tourists, food or cars and shops, will bring a lack of extra spending money due to inflation. This eventually becomes global and can end in recession as we have seen in the past.

I think you’re very wrong there .No drug takers in Thailand, you must be joking !!!

I moved from one Soi in Jomtien bécause of the stray dogs. I was so annoyed as I loved my small condo and nice staff and pool. Even people passing on bikes or cars were chased, disgusting this happens and no one cares. The parents of this recent attack should sue the dog owners to hell and back and make sure every single website and newspaper gets the story. Only way to get some reaction from the government. Maybe could save more poor kids from attacks.

That’s the French embassy for you ! Must be the worst ..

Inflation is world wide, no escaping. some reports state that it could go very much higher.

Functioning road speed cameras, all automated . Traffic light cameras. spot checks for papers, fines not paid , car/ bike confiscated . Good money for the authorities, as it’s not hand to hand. Technology , like other countries have.

What “ hurdle” , a visa is a hurdle, am expensive flight is a hurdle, 5 minutes on the internet or a phone call to a reputable travel insurance company ( there are many) is NOT a hurdle and it is not expensive. If you don’t have a 100 € odd to go 10 000 miles from home on a holiday, to ensure your health treatment in case of need, then stay closer to home. Really. why should a country or hospital be liable for a holiday makers travel mistakes ? The “ don’t care” attitude doesn’t work in real life.

Before welcoming innocent tourists to Thailand and blowing their trumpet, the Prime minister and co should radically change the road/ driving system chaos of its country. They don’t care a damn and they won’t change anything. if there’s anything that spoils my long stays in Thailand, it’s when I have to step into a taxi or cross the road.

TAT, please ask around if you believe that Thailand is “ environmentally friendly “. What a joke.

I m now back in S France and two close friends also have just caught Covid and are having a bad time too. One, 42 yrs, in bed for 10 days, the other 59, very bad cough.

I have the same although I live in a quite safe place.

Just make travel insurance for tourists mandatory. I personally helped 2 French guys that got barged on a jet ski by another tourist. Needless to say they were cut open from feet to thigh on one side of the body ! It was horrific. It was not their fault. They were hospitalized for emergency operations in Bangkok Phuket hospital, and I must say, the doctors probably saved their lives .They both had Platinum coverage on their C Cards. Thank God. After three weeks and various ops, they were transferred on stretcher back to France where they were hospitalized for months after.The doctors here in France said the result was amazing considering. I was there every single day in Phuket to help as they were in comas for a while , and couldn’t speak English . The bill was millions , hundreds of thousands of €. I must say that the coordinator at the hospital was fantastic..I always had travel insurance before that, but after that experience I’ll never stop recommending it.

I do miss the fresh coconut water when I’m in Europe. The tetra pack ones taste a bit strange., Every evening after my meal, I’d buy one on the way home . I find they’ve helped my digestion.,

After 7 months ?????

Of course it can. Look at rival Cambodia, Myanmar etc that have easy online visas. With todays tech, it should be dead easy. All main airports today are automated for most tourists. I’m sorry, I don’t think Thailand has the “ know how” and are hopeless when it comes to tech. Lack of real professionalism .

That’s why I believe that tourists, on tourist visas or extensions, should need a travel insurance. I’ve had one since I started traveling, and would never go without. Compared to the price of your holiday , it’s not expensive. Make it mandatory. I doubt many real expats run up horrific bills and disappear.

It’s not the cost of the visa that’s the problem, it’s the complicated and difficulty in getting one that makes people come Visa exempt. This looses money for the Thai coffers. Why oh why can’t they bring in easy online applications as other countries have ( Myanmar/ Cambodia etc ) ? No one intelligent enough in Thai government to do this ? Probably not , if you look at the initial Thai Pass which was a complete failure. They obviously don’t have the tech experts necessary.

Phuket is definitely prettier than Pattaya, let’s be honest, the hills the seaside and there are still cleaner beaches than Pattaya. Of course 20+ years ago it was better, everywhere was! The real phuket people , not the taxi wolves and jet ski scammers, are as nice as all other Thai people. I lived 20 long winters in Phuket . Loved it. Discovered Pattaya out of curiosity, and found the weather suited me much better there . Also, many supermarkets all over Pattaya with great choice and clean. Then there is the lack of public transport on Phuket. In Pattaya, I could hop on a bus and be in my supermarket for 20 Baht. It was eventually the cooler , drier. weather that made me move. ive just been to Phuket January and February. It was terribly hot and quite stormy. I won’t go back to live there. Instead I’ll take a weeks holiday there now and again. im not sure that Phuket is more expensive rent wise. It was cheaper because of Covid. You have a larger choice of condos with pool in Pattaya. Buying ? Would never do it. I like to be free to move.

Some Thai embassies are a real pain. I tried for a month to get an evisa visa back in January as did a friend of mine . He left without his visa ( paid for),and seeing this I didn’t bother and came in exempt. My fiend received his after he arrived in Bangkok. I just did the extension. This was Paris. The government really need to wake up some of these embassies. They are loosing a lot of money over this reluctance to respect visa demand .

Unfortunately for Thailand, many people are staying home or close to home. They would rather the security it brings. Especially if you’re a family with kids. I live in S. France. Hotels have been fully booked here since Easter until end of September/ October. Yes, more expensive than Thailand, but when you spend the 2000€ plus on long haul flights, you can spend it on food and hotels in EU or wherever you come from. You don’t get the “ exotic” feel, but you do get nice hotels, deep blue clean beaches, warm weather mostly everywhere, fantastic food choice, and no long complicated flights that cost too. Thailand has a lot of competition.

But the Oscar goes to………..Johnny Depp !!!!!!!

What we can learn, is not to lie in court for a start. The good lawyers will catch you out. I think it’s a good idea not to adopt this kind of practice in Thailand, because the court rooms would be saturated in 48 hrs. I had neighbors who made my life hell, screaming, fighting, breaking things ( ring a bell ?) the next day all love and smiles again. There is a big difference between this sort of behavior to verbal/ physical abuse , violence , rape.I also knew a lady who when she hit the bottle, smashed the place up a bit and end in tears. Both her , sober, and her husband were really lovely people. People like that need medical help, not court.

I have signed in again on ASEAN Now . Hopefully it gets back to normal.

Hi, above says it all. I’m in now, checked all my profile and email. Nothing wrong. Why am I not receiving my daily ASEAN ? I use an iPad. Nothing amiss there. Thanks.

I spent January and February in Kata , high season. I have many old friends there, foreign and Thai, since 1984. Business is nearly zero, the few Russians have long gone and now it’s the rainy season. The local authorities have done zero, nothing, to help the situation!!!!! Still no pavements, drains, I waded in water and sludge the days it actually really stormed ( unusual for this time of year too). Very little lighting at night, and with all the shops etc closed/ abandoned, I actually felt a little uneasy walking back to my condo at 9 pm after dinner. i would have thought the authorities would have fixed all these problems in the the 2 years of being closed down. No, they sat on their fat backsides and twiddled their thumbs. About three decent restaurants open, tho I rarely ate the seafood as it was stacked high outside and no customers to order it. Spent one day in Patong, where at least there is a bit of life. Shops, Starbucks. The two malls closed !!! Can you believe it ! of course, rents sky high and mean property owners rather have their shops closed than lower the rent !!! From what I hear, Bangla rd is very busy evenings and the bars are open and have been for a while!! So I suppose the younger tourists go ther at night. Kata beach is beautiful, water is clean, but so are the others , even Patong. Phuket town dead, though Central Mall has all the shoppers, especially foreigners. I was heart broken for the Phuket people who are still suffering and living from handouts, lots of foreigners help them, food banks. It all made me so depressed I cut short my stay and left for Bangkok, where I must admit I really enjoyed, nice restaurants and “ life”. If Thailand on the whole is suffering, no need to ask where the fault lies.