crouchpeter

On 10/25/2022 at 12:57 PM, nchuckle said:

The need for longer term route  planning meant Thailand’s chaotic and ever changing entry rules effectively made it too volatile for BA to commit resources to the route when those could be directed towards more stable options. There was already pre pandemic a move to switch away from Bangkok evidenced by BA using Singapore as the hub for Australia routes which speaks to the arrogance of Thailand regarding making itself attractive to commercial airline operatives. That BA closed the door to reopening for the traditional Thai high season starting about now doesn’t bode well for the chances of them restarting in March (low season) . I don’t think it’ll be considered until at least November 2023. Generals are not good economic forecasters nor understand the principles for attracting  foreign investment . Outside of tourism the structural investment in education and skills have traditionally fallen woefully short and a country that should have been well placed to take advantage of the West’s switch away from China will ,unlike Vietnam,miss out.

A few years ago Thailand upped all their charges for airlines using BKK as their hub. 41 airlines stopped using BKK and went to Singapore. They can't help themselves. Greed is in their DNA.

On 10/25/2022 at 11:42 AM, kwak250 said:

Eva air direct to bkk booked in April for the start of this month was £480 return .

Not bad as the same flight 3 years ago was nearly the same price.

I've just booked Singapore Air to Paris for February for 1 month. Fare was 20,500 baht rtn. But very hard to book the bargains they advertise!

On 10/4/2022 at 12:12 AM, internationalism said:

probably cheaper is Kluaynamthai Hospital, walking distance from you.

I would go now, when there are no waiting lines.

Or ask reception for the governmental one

Don't even think about a government hospital unless you speak Thai or take your interpreter! (My pet name for my wife)!

No one in the world has more experience than Australian dermatologists. The melanoma clinic at RPA in Sydney has many French Spanish Irish doctors who've come to learn. A skin check there is about $300; free if you're a pensioner. So that's 7,500 baht, plus your airfare is, say, 20,000 baht. For Dr. Anna to cut out 2 non- malignant naevi at BPH was 23,000 baht. So I think it's worth a trip home to Oz. Of course you have to make an appointment weeks and weeks ahead.

You've got to be more proactive with this lesion! Go downstairs this evening and ask the local noodle lady what it is. She'll probably refer you to a nearby monk.

People think herpes is only contagious when symptoms such as itchiness or blisters occur. Research with dental nurses has shown that you can catch it a few days before signs and symptoms appear. Nowadays, we all wear gloves, of course.

Always use a soft brush. Brush for 2 minutes.

16 hours ago, KanchanaburiGuy said:

I am an Agnostic. I am neither an Atheist nor a Theist/Deist. I have no idea whether or not God exists. As an Agnostic, I've frequently been accused of being a "fence-sitter;" unwilling to take a stand for one view or the other.

 

For nearly 50 years, now.....

.. since I was 15, or so........... my response has been: "Those are not the only two choices. There is a perfectly valid THIRD choice. That third choice is to confidently say, 'I don't know.'"

 

Given what I believe, which is......... Any time there is more than one credible answer to a question, no answer can be called "correct,"  I therefore also believe that "I don't know" is, in fact, the most honest answer I can give. Even though.......... many people can't seem to understand that "I don't know" IS a decision, not a stubborn unwillingness to make one!

 

I tell you all this so that you'll have some sense of my world view; of how I look at things. So............ consequently.......... when I come across a person who says "I choose not to vote".......... I really can't come up with a reason to object to that! 

 

I've lived my life in full recognition that many things that seem to have only TWO valid choices............  frequently turn out to have THREE or FOUR or FIVE!

 

--------------

 

When it comes to voting, I'd much rather someone who is not confident and convinced of a particular choice........... abstain, instead! Don't be a "Believer" or an "Atheist"........... [metaphorically speaking]......... just because someone tells you you're supposed to PICK ONE!

 

NOT picking is a perfectly valid THIRD CHOICE......... Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

 

Not choosing IS  a choice!

 

--------------

 

Now, as far as I'm concerned........ any country that REQUIRES you to vote........... is only giving lip-service to the concept of "freedom!" 

 

Because if it was "freedom"........... you'd have the freedom not to!

 

Unless a country has "None of the Above" on their ballot........... they have no business compelling their people to PICK ONE! Because.......... in the absence of a valid "None of the Above" choice........... SILENCE becomes the only remaining way to make that choice!

 

And in a "free" society.......... shouldn't everyone have the right and opportunity to make the "Agnostic" choice............ to choose, as I do with religion.......... "None of the Above?"

 

Cheers!

 

 

When voting is voluntary, certain groups can intimidate any demographic group that they hate. This has been happening in the good old USofA for over a hundred years. That's why, if you're not a WASP, you're known as the disenfranchised! Blacks, Hispanics, trailer trash, the homeless etc.!

18 hours ago, Tropposurfer said:

I was born in a nation that saw voting as law, and a duty to self and country (obviously not the strange, bizarre US of A), and perhaps more importantly a privileged right to honour and cherish. A nation where ones choice was honoured and respected despite the outcome of any election. most noticeably because we have a totally sane, transparent, and un-fiddled election system.

 

Acknowledging the falsities and deceit of some/many who seek political office makes more imperative the need to vote with alacrity and wisdom.

I do not see the validity of opinion of anyone who sees benefiting from the nation that bore and nurtured them (however unsatisfactorily and cynically viewed to them that may have been) not voting and exercise the freedom and social voice they have been gifted as members of a free society. Such a 'democratic (?) right seems to deny and spit in the face of the very freedoms they have enjoyed all their lives.

The narrative that theres' no point because the outcome is rigged, or pre-ordained in some conspiratorial power clutching/retaining, dystopian fatalistic way only serves to support both the truth of this statement. the historical, sociological, and relational notion of making oneself informed and voting wisely for the best candidate all the more prescient. Sorry Rooster but I call a saddened BS to your notions and comments.

So says an ultra-pedantic Australian!

On 10/9/2022 at 7:05 AM, Gecko123 said:

Here is a list of the negative reactions your previous column elicited:

"grumpy" "picky" "offensive"  "obnoxious" "load of rubbish" "pathetic piece of prose" "sanctimonious twit" "delusions of grandeur" "insulting" "self-centered" "bore" "tosh" "boring" "Mr. Cock-a-doodle-doo" "sad" "long-winded" "disrespectful" "knob" "idiot" "dick" "a-hole" "cretin."

I would tend to agree that the final three or four names on the list crossed the line, but the rest strike me as legitimate reactions to what you wrote. If I am mistaken about this, and general non-abusive negative reactions to your column are resented and may result in retaliation, I think readers of your column deserve to have this clarified.

 

For the record....

 

You weren't pilloried for "expressing a preference for Bangkok." You were lambasted for making ridiculous generalizations not only about all of Thailand outside of Bangkok and any expats who live there, but, most egregiously of all, making fun of the Thai people who live there. I found your comments about eating chicken feet, sneering about the possible unavailability of a microwave during your visit, and the photo of food being prepared on the floor (seemingly presented as evidence of poor hygiene and primitive food preparation standards) particularly offensive as it belittled the humble diet and lifestyle of rural Thais, who, may I remind you, are the life blood and soul of the Kingdom, and where probably 75% of the people in your beloved Bangkok originated from.

 

Resentment was also voiced over your attempt to turn a legitimate debate over the usage of the word "electrocute" into an opportunity to unfairly belittle the literacy of forum members. FYI, here's a list of on-line dictionary references which restrict electrocute's usage to "causing death":

 

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/electrocute

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/electrocute

https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/electrocute

https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=electrocute

https://dictionary.findlaw.com/definition/electrocute.html

 

Your comments about the lack of cultural diversity during the Queen's funeral (one of the few comments in last week's column which I applauded), the critiques of the hymns selected for the funeral services, as well as your call for the Monarchy to be abolished were also viewed by many readers as inappropriate, especially coming so soon after the Queen's death.

 

I would also like to take a moment to mention to you that the 300K that your sister-in-law has yet to repay, that under Thai law, the past debts of one spouse are not the legal responsibility of the new spouse or boyfriend, and I think trying to pressure the sister-in-law's new American boyfriend into repaying the loan is rather tacky and gauche. Just a word to the wise from Miss Manners.

 

My advice to the Rooster is to tone down the antagonistic running feud you seem to have developed with your readership. Frankly, the only reason I tuned in this week was to see how you would respond to last week's deluge of criticism. Silly me, I was half expecting contrition, certainly not thinly veiled threats about being suspended or banned if future columns weren't dutifully appreciated.

 

One final question. In last week's column, you mentioned that you were heading to the family homestead in Loei just as Typhoon Noru was heading towards northern Thailand. You didn't mention it in this week's column, but I saw on the news that Loei experienced some pretty heavy flooding. Maybe you managed to dodge a bullet, but I wanted to ask if you managed to stay dry?

 

 

 

Hey! You can't offend a bludger.

On 10/10/2022 at 7:50 PM, marty147 said:

A friend of mine paid 'private' rates at a government hospital. 

 

His operation was about three months ago.

 

All in, it cost  ฿100 000.

 

He was back on the golf course after three weeks of recovery.

For Hip replacement surgery? I don't think so!

On 10/4/2022 at 10:56 AM, Sheryl said:

Sounds like a simple UTI and probably not a kidney problem.

 

Treatment will be inexpensive and only test will be a urinalysis. Try to insist on a urine culture as well. Thai doctors like to skip cultures and treat empirically but it causes problems later on if the infection proves resistant to the initial antibiotics used. As is often the case these days with UTIs.

 

Any hospital can handle this. But do specifically sdk them to do a culture.

 

And dont buy medication at the hospital unless you dont mind substantial mark up. Antibiotics can be bought at sny pharmacy.

 

 

 

 

Try getting out of a private hospital without taking and paying for their bag of medicines!

On 10/5/2022 at 6:45 AM, spidermike007 said:

In addition to going the traditional route, you might want to consider some herbal supplements. I use Bilberry Eyebright complex, along with green tea, pine bark, grape seed complex, and black current extract. They have worked wonders for me, and have prevented my vision from deteriorating at all, for the past 15 years. I wear reading glasses sometimes, and distance glasses when driving at night. That is all. My vision remains excellent well into my 60's. Prior to taking these herbs, my vision was slipping. Things were getting fuzzy. If I skip them for 2 or 3 days, the fuzziness comes back, so I know they are working. They tend to strengthen the optic nerve, as well as having other positive effects. 

 

The people I know who have tried this tend to have better success, if they have relatively minor issues like I do. 

 

 

And as an extra benefit, these supplements will cure all known cancers!

On 10/2/2022 at 5:08 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe test the cat for rabies, probably much cheaper than the circ 4k rabies injections

What! Remove his brain?

Rabies jabs do not last any time. They just enable you to have a lesser number of shots when you do get bitten by any mammal. You can monitor the rabbit for 2 weeks and if he doesn't get sick or mad, then you're okay. However, if YOU show signs of rabies, then you're dead!

59 minutes ago, overherebc said:

One report saying ex-cop.  He went home, shot his wife then shot himself.

Don't know why he had to go and kill himself. Probably didn't want to be moved to an "inactive post"!

21 hours ago, billd766 said:

Our Moo Ban is about 3 km long but is the only road in it apart from a small square  area with about 30 houses on it.

 

My wife's old shop is registered as 9/4 in our Moo Ban, except that is actually in the next Moo Ban along.

 

Really fascinating!

On 10/5/2022 at 11:36 AM, Mr Derek said:

It ought to be illegal not to have a number on a house, and it's just common sense when it's on a street of similar houses. Apart from that it's just a courtesy to everyone else.

The owners screwed up through negligence or apathy. This is the result. No sympathy.

Unbelievable!

8 hours ago, daveAustin said:

‘Winter’ always sounds odd in the tropics. Cool season seems more apt, or maybe the not-so-hot season. 

No summer or winter in the tropics. Wet season and dry season.

On 8/4/2022 at 10:24 AM, sometimewoodworker said:

Hyperbaric O2 treatment is vastly different from a portable oxygen generator.
 

For 1 unless you are rather less intelligent than you seem you will not be using 100% O2 without medical supervision as 100% O2 is an extremely corrosive gas that without intervals of air breathing will leave permanent scaring. 
 

So no reputable O2 supplementation will use more than 30%

What rubbish. Might as well just breathe air!

On 9/19/2022 at 11:36 AM, tingtongfarang said:

i spent a week in hospital after heart failure and never seen a single doctor, only nurses who would lift me onto a gurney and wheel me to the atm every 2 days, had to sign myself out, gf came and wheeled me out to a taxi, i was in a realy bad condition.

You were obviously suffering from acute imaginitis!