Jonathan Swift

Speaking of foolish notions . . . Seems there is great concern here over the risk to life from covid.

How wonderful to have a board certified cosmetic surgeon such as yourself on top of things to give us your expert opinion. Facelift? Look closely. I'm in the entertainment business and work with lights and makeup. First, recognize that Asians do not worship the sun as westerners do and so do not incur the aging sun damage seen in similarly aged Americans for example. Secondly, it's evident to most observers that Asians just seem to genetically age more slowly. Just look at the girls! . Note Thaksin's protruding cheekbone area with some visible sagging. Note that he has prominent bags under his eyes. Not consistent with a facelift which would normally include eyelid work. Note that he is brightly lit from the front and therefore there are no shadows to highlight the normally visible irregularities in an older face. But you can see the irregularities to the left and right of his chin. The evenness of color tone overall hides blemishes and shows that he has been professionally made up. He has lines across his forehead, around his eyes-nose-mouth area, but with the makeup and frontal lighting they are minimized to near invisibility. It's possible he may have had a chemical peel, which removes the crinkly top layer of the epidermis which in an older person is where the dry and wrinkled agedness shows the most. And who cares if he dyes his hair? Do you see black rivers running down his face? He has a broad and bulbous nose - certainly no work done on that, since the popular trend is to "westernize" noses. Do you think his nose looks like Michael Jackson's nose? For comparison I've posted a photo of president Reagan, a California sun worshiper, age 75 WITHOUT MAKEUP and lit from the side and so all irregularities visible in shadow, and who has similar minimally sagging cheekbone features without the Asiatic cheekbones; a recent photo of Thaksin age 72 with less makeup but AGAIN lit from the front with minimal shadows (he probably has his own light and makeup crew) , and then your boy Michael Jackson, whom we can all see looks just about EXACTLY like Thaksin. As far as snouts in the trough, every person in power does it, everywhere, in every country, in every party, it's almost the universal natural order of things, to the extent that it merits little more than a shrug as far as more serious things go, because it proves nothing. Just my opinion though and I for one will be the first to admit to not necessarily being fully informed because - DUH! I'm not Thai, I'm not from here, and I don't know the hearts of the Thai people or its past and present leaders, and won't pretend I do just to stand on a soapbox and hear myself roar. The bottom line is, he may have had work done but if so it was minimal and undetectable even by the esteemed Dr. Buffy, MD. As to the fundamental issue, the details and machinations of economic forces on commodities like pork are incredibly complex, but they follow basic supply and demand. Nuff said.

ding ding ding ding ding ding! You are CORRECT sir, you are now our grand prize winner in the guess what's really going on here quiz show! Your prize? Free pork and (subsidized) rice dinners for life!

Let's see the satellite photos

bags don't kill people, people kill people

My understanding, and you all can correct me if I'm wrong, is that some of these services skate a fine line of legality when they are the ones who put up the 400,000/800,000 baht for appearances. I personally would not want to do that. You didn't mention your visa type, that would help. But when I was trying to figure out my non O retirement visa I consulted with Siam Legal. They gave me about 20 minutes for free and explained what I needed to do and how much they would charge, which was about $800 US dollars or so. So I suggest a free legal consultation so that you can be clear as to the requirements. I use the monthly income of 65,000 baht into BKK Bank method rather than keeping a small fortune tied up in the bank, and don't have any difficulty doing it all myself except for the occasional anal retentiveness of weary clerks, which I'm prepared to be patient with. I don't think it should be that difficult to do yourself, and if you can you will have learned valuable info and skills toward your future. Plus saving a nice big chunk of change. Lastly, you should be able to find the exact requirements on the Thai immigration page. There is usually a printable document which spells everything out quite clearly. You just have to make sure you get to the official government page and not the opportunistic profiteering imposters whose pages may be a year or more out of date. The most important thing is that your information be up to date as of 2021 - 2022. Good luck, chokdee

I've heard stories about "agents" losing passports, it may be rare, but I agree that surrendering it for any length of time is unnerving and should not be necessary. There was also a news story about a visa agent who was prosecuted for falsifying bank records when they made the 800,000/400,000 baht deposit conveniently appear and disappear when necessary. I expect he neglected his other "fees". I've learned to navigate the process relatively painlessly without any of those burdens, in particular the money paid for those services does me a whole lot more good when it stays in my bank to be used for far better things. I personally would never want to place any of my life affairs in the hands of someone I don't know unless I really needed a doctor or lawyer and whose credentials were established.

I wonder if they ever actually asked any wealthy foreigners what would attract them to a country like Thailand? Would they like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs to make this a home away from home? If they could attract just one wealthy and famous name to come and create a part time home here it would work wonders as PR. Short of that, they don't seem to be listening to ANY qualified voices on the matter - namely, US! In a more ideal world, they could charge one person and a department with reviewing all of the burdensome and unnecessary immigration rules and procedures, eliminating those bothersome barriers which are putting off a lot of people. And as WE all know, that is a LOT of people. There seems to be a total vacuum when it comes to common business sense as would apply to this. It baffles me. If a person is wealthy enough they can afford to pick and choose from anywhere in the world, so why Thailand? What could this government do to put Thailand at the top of the lists of the wealthy? I don't think they have a clue. My opinion, they should be going for quantity first - large numbers of regular people and tourists, non wealthy pensioners and expats, and add to that any incentives for the wealthy. They could have it all, and nothing to lose by doing it. The other side of this is, what are they doing to shore up the Thai economy in terms of industry and global trade? Relying on tourist and foreigners' spending is very shaky ground upon which to base an economy, and we are seeing what happens when all that comes tumbling down. But who am I? Just another tintong farang cheap charlie

Excellent suggestions, I will pass them on to the PM next time I see him. Khap khun krap!

I think it would be helpful if some of you critics would understand a few things. Public relations between any government and the people is a tricky area easily misunderstood and misjudged. The current local media in its inaccuracy and generally low standards of journalism make matters worse. This you know. The seeming constantly shifting of public postures is a product of covid being unlike any public health issue ever seen before, and the government is struggling to grapple with this, as are we all. The essential nature of public relations is such that What the government says publicly about this issue has a direct effect on the well being of the public. This is why you see them issuing statements that may seem inaccurate or contradictory, but if looked at can be understood as attempts to maintain calm and order. Meanwhile it is fair to say that the media is good at garbling and mangling what government public relations tells them. And the public themselves will garble and misunderstand as well, and this would be on you. But there are legitimate reasons and intentions behind what may seem is an untethered and illogical government public face which the government presents through a barely competent press. The government is not nearly as bad or incompetent as you might think. Why do you think in spite of all your criticisms that Thailand has remained among the safest countries in the world regarding covid? Those among you that are of a generally suspicious and paranoid nature are chronically projecting those suspicions unfairly on people who are simply doing their jobs as best they know how. They are flawed people with egos like everyone else, and can be criticized, but let’s be responsible about the accusations we make, that they are not fabrications based on overactive imagination or an immature joy in taking potshots just for the sport of it. The misinformation YOU perpetuate is harm that YOU are responsible for. So be responsible citizens if you are going to live here. That’s all the government really wants.

The reason masks are mandated is that SOME people cannot be trusted to be responsible to the needs and rights of others, and to greater good in matters of public health, because SOME people are completely self absorbed and self centered, and when they claim concern about people’s loss of jobs and livelihoods they’re really more concerned about their own convenient access to their precious booze being cut off. We have mandates because SOME people want to write covid off as a hoax that the media created to scare people. We have mandates because SOME people seek, by perpetuating a false and self serving narrative, to undermine public trust in the medical profession and the agencies whose job it is to oversee public health. But ok, what evidence do you have that masks do not work? Post the links to any credible research. We will read and evaluate any facts. Because the overwhelming evidence seen by the the entire rest of the world shows (those of us who are not deluded) the effectiveness of masks in greatly reducing transmission risks. Facts. Proof. Obvious to any educated person. Mask mandates and covid policies are why Thailand remains one of the safest places in the world from covid. I see that you want the government to “order the media to stop scaring people’. Is that what you want, a government who can order the media to say or not say whatever the government wants? I think you’re in the wrong country, North Korea would seem more to your liking.

With all due respect, another uninformed statement based on your own prejudices and stereotypes, and not on the fundamental truth of the matter. Actually educating one’s self on the social fabric of Thailand is too much work, it’s easier and more fun to stick your tongue out like a 5 year old and take potshots. There are valid reasons behind the things you don’t understand, and you will never know them

“Everyone” is not necessary, he can easily be tracked down by police using camera footage. I predict 24 - 48 hours. Captured, hospitalized, deported, banned, end of story And they’ll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they’re coming to take them away - Napoleon the Fourteenth

maybe he had just finsihed reading this:

there is?

The various states in the US and I'm sure many countries have had all kinds of equally ridiculous blue laws, liquor laws, etc. for 100 years or more. So there's one. next question? Oh, explain what they're doing as to 9pm/10:30pm? They're trying to limit exposure by curtailing the hours people are allowed to spend drinking and socializing in public, which is scientifically and statistically valid. has nothing to do with the drinking or the booze. Has to do with crowds and exposure. Capiche?

That's what I did. And here I am.

I think this is a typo. He meant - Police state: "sad"

Smedly was making an objective factual observation. I've been to Soi Buakau, and the bars there ARE rammed until 11pm closing every night. I was actually surprised to see it. That's not an opinion or viewpoint on what's best for public health. There's no argument to be had here. Don't know where your combativeness is coming from, maybe you need a drink or two.

Inevitable.

I think they literally have a deluded notion about how this actually plays out in the press. In their minds they think this makes them look good, like real cops doing the job they're supposed to do - now don't laugh - which is to control Covid outbreaks. Certain phrases come to mind - nailing jello to a wall, whack a mole, etc. What happened to all those fun poses of cops pointing their fingers at things?

Yes, the cops and organized criminals soon to be equipped with .45 caliber Tommy Guns and mowing down those poor suffering and innocent partiers. All joking aside, "sensible" is the key word. I don't claim to be an expert even after my many years here, but I think this was for show, to make an example of someone who misrepresented their business to get around the laws. For the last 3 weeks Soi Buakau and other places in Pattaya had all their bars and pubs open to 11pm. There was a recent announcement about crackdowns on those bending the serving rules. This was no doubt in the works at the time of that announcement. Just my theory

I spent the holidays in Koh Larn, Pattaya, and Jomtien, all bars were open until 11PM. Nobody got arrested.

Ummm, Antartica maybe? The moon? Mars?

Must have been freeckin' hilarious. When does the video come out?