mfd101

And in the North-East (ie Isaan)? ... which is what I was referring to.

I wear nothing but a pair of shorts all day every day here at home. For the couple of times a week when we go shopping I wear jeans & a cotton shirt. My b/f is much the same, except that he spends most of every day 40km away at the family farm where he wears a T-shirt as well as the shorts. Apart from all that, my b/f is used (since he was a small boy) to barking orders at all his large family including older brothers & sisters. And nothing has changed there since he linked up with a 'rich falang'. As to the 'rich falang', as the sole source of funds for the couple and for much of the large family, it's clear where at least some 'ultimate' control lies ...

One teensy step at a time. Progress is slow in a backward society with antique pretend-values.

Another TMD 'forecast' that seems to bear no relation to reality (at least not here in south NE).

Thank you for a positive look and helpful comments. (Unlike the usual naysayers above.)

As usual, the Black-and-Whiters out in force on AN. Nothing grey in their world.

Wouldn't it be fun if he became PM again! Watching the haters here on AN become apoplectic & choking on their false teeth would certainly make it worthwhile. And the poor people of Isaan amongst whom I live would be delighted, though without illusions.

So the Europeans will be fleeing south towards the tropics. Headline news: "Gulf Stream failure solves Thailand's falling population problem". Later headline: "Population replacement: Civil war in Thailand".

In politics, timing is important. The key question now is: What's the right time for Biden to make his not-running-again announcement and for an instantly electable Dem to be announced as the new contender. (Not the current Veep obviously, she's already more than embarrassing enough).

If they were serious they would have to ban masturbation & contraceptives of all kinds. I guess they couldn't bring themselves to do that (and they would fail in any case), so the Thai population will continue downwards, just like most other countries everywhere in the world that have actually entered the C21st. And even Black Africa's birth rates are steadily falling, though not yet in negative territory.

Nonsense. Diversity describes people's differences (of height or weight or intellect or sexuality or wealth or any other measure you can think of). Equality says all people should be treated equally (from moral, social & legal points of view). Obviously both can apply anywhere and at the same time. Why does a choice have to be made?

Conclusion: Ain't gonna happen. Move on.

Thailand's probably one of the better places to be if any of the end-of-the-world scenarios decided to happen ...

So why does NONE of any of this show up on Accuweather's forecasts for the next 3 days or on its radar map? If it's as it was a few days ago with much the same warnings from the TMD but nothing to disturb the cool nights and warm-to-hottish days, I think I'll be guided by Accuweather.

Less of a problem here in Isaan, particularly the poorer parts. Less Westernized, less money to waste on junk foods. I almost never see a fat Thai here in Surin. Plenty of fat ol' male Falangs. In my extensive poor Khmer family (over 30 of them aged from 79 down to 4 or 5), there's not a single fat one. The only one who needs to watch his weight is the one who has plenty of cash ie my b/f.

Sugar is your enemy, as all out-sized Westerners should know by now. Thais still on a learning curve ...

Ambition outpacing competence.

Always a hidden agenda in exploring the past: Justifying the present.

Good.

Not possible. As anyone who is a real reader would know.

I buy about 20 times more books than I ever read. We moved here permanently in late 2015 and my c8000 print books arrived from Oz some 15 months later when the new mansion was finished. Now some 2300 ebooks as well and growing by the day. ["50 years more, O Lord, just 50 years more!"]

Yes. Putin is a nasty dictator & murderer. But - as anyone who has ever watched him speak 'off the cuff' knows - he has brainpower, fluency, humour, knowledge and experience that allow him to dance rings around any Western 'leader' or up-himself would-be journalist.

(Yawn).

I have never been to Phuket and probably will never visit there. In any case, it is not Thailand ...

I accessed it all at 55. As you could in those days. Not any more now of course. Met my b/f (40 yrs younger than me) in BKK late 2011, having travelled the world including across China & Central Asia & Russia. Married (Buddhist village ceremony) in 2013, partnered (pre-gay marriage) in Canberra 2014, moved permanently to Surin late 2015, built a mansion a relatively safe 40km from the family farm and living here since 2017. A case of: opposites attract and stay together.