RSD1

There are so many opinions floating around right now about Trump's self inflicted trade war, mostly about Trump’s intentions, what he understands and what he doesn’t, what he’s trying to achieve, how much of it is ego, bullying, bravado, and so on. But at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is: when and how does this end? I think the simple answer is that it ends very soon, probably next week, because both the US financial markets and the US government’s sovereign debt markets (Treasuries) are now hemorrhaging and are in free fall, and that’s just not sustainable for more than a minute. If it’s allowed to fester for too long, it could become genuinely malignant. As for how it ends, I suspect Trump blinks first. The Chinese are in a stronger position financially and economically. They aren't facing the same financial markets carnage and can wait this out far longer than Trump or the US can, plus the Chinese are used to economic pain, whereas the US isn't. So what I think happens is Trump, pretending to be the great dealmaker, offers China an olive branch next week by announcing a 60 or 90-day pause on the tariffs, giving both sides time to negotiate a deal. Most likely, it’ll just be him kicking the can down the road with no real agreement ever to follow. But in the meantime, the markets will rally, treasury yields will settle, and he’ll be seen as being sensible, at least in the moment. As for the tariffs themselves, it buys him time to spin the narrative, confuse the American public to the point where no one really understands what’s going on anymore, eventually Americans move onto the next big news cycle topic and the whole situation fades away, more or less back to where things were before he started this trade war that he can’t possibly win. Just political theatre and market pain for nothing, but no real progress is ever made on the large trade deficit between the US and China. And the biggest losers in all this? All the investors who panicked and sold out and liquidated their financial positions, thinking the American economy was about to collapse. One other possibility is: Trump has repeatedly expressed his strong desire for the Fed to cut interest rates now, ideally by at least another full percentage point. So far, the Fed has largely ignored those signals, and there’s not much Trump can do about it legally, unless he’s willing to cross more legal lines. But if the stock market continues to tank and the sell-off in treasuries intensifies as a result of Trump’s trade war, it could eventually corner the Fed into action. If things spiral far enough, the Fed might feel compelled to step in and cut rates, effectively reviving what’s known as "The Fed Put", like what happened during the COVID crash, when emergency rate cuts turned the markets around almost overnight. That could be Trump’s hidden play in all this. Knowing he can't win a trade war with China, but if he drags this out long enough and triggers a rate cut, he could then swoop in, end the trade war, and claim victory, thus restoring confidence to the US financial markets, and inflation expectations become re-anchored again, just as rates fall. It’s speculative, but not outside the realm of possibility. If he pushes things far enough, it just might work for his agenda on cutting interest rates and perhaps he's merely using his illusive trade war with China as the red herring to do it.

I’ve seen a lot of weed sellers in Thailand offering trim and shake at very low prices. I think there’s already a consumer market for it. People on a tight budget or those who aren’t too fussed about flowers probably go for it. With trim, you don’t even need to bother grinding it, and it’s great for use in a dry herb vaporiser too. One of the sellers I buy from gave me some to try as a free sample once. It came from one of the same plants they use for their high potency flowers, and I’ve got to admit, it had really good strength. I haven’t bought any myself yet, but if you know it’s coming from a strong strain, then there’s nothing wrong with it. It should still pack a solid punch.

There are quite a few hospices up in the north. I believe there’s a fairly well-known one run by a foreigner that I’ve seen mentioned on this forum before. As for the weed side of things, that’s the easy bit. You can get that anywhere. Though smoking it probably isn’t ideal for him at this stage. The coughing alone could be rough on him, and most facilities likely wouldn’t allow it anyway since the smoke could bother other residents. The best option would be to go to one of the cannabis shops and have them brew up a strong, potent cannabis oil for him to take as an edible. That way he can dose up all day long without disturbing anyone, and live out the rest of his time in whichever hospice he prefers. Have a look at a couple of places – one called Care Resort Chiang Mai, which I think is run by a British bloke, and another called Vivobene Village, which is run by a Swiss guy.

Fully agree, I do exactly the same. In my experience, you’ll never get a completely accurate prescription from any of the shops. Any Eye Department in a hospital should be able to give you a proper one. If you’re in Bangkok and on a budget, Bangkok Christian Hospital is a good option, not expensive. Then you can order your glasses online from Zenni. They get it right every time. One other thing to keep in mind when testing for reading glasses, make sure that whatever you’re reading from is held at a distance of about 30 centimetres from your eyes. The person conducting the test might not pay much attention to that, but it’s really important because that’s the standard reading distance used to determine the correct prescription. You can use a book, phone screen or anything similar, just make sure the print is relatively small and held at 30 centimetres. That should give you a reliable result.

I’m not a fan of conspiracy theories unless there’s some basis for them. Just pulling things out of a hat, asking “why this” or “why that,” without logic or common sense doesn’t get us anywhere. I don’t have the answer, and neither does anyone else except the prosecutors and law enforcement involved. But I assume there’s a good reason we’re at this point, or the case wouldn’t have moved forward. Most likely, the women didn’t feel safe coming forward individually because they didn’t want their lives torn apart. But once they realized others had similar experiences and they could come forward together, they were probably more emboldened. We’re all making assumptions here because we don’t know the full story, but there’s likely a reasonable explanation, possibly shame, fear, or not wanting to derail their own lives. Also, many rape cases come down to one person’s word against another’s. But when four women come forward independently with corroborating stories, the case becomes stronger and is taken more seriously. As for the evidence, I would assume there’s more than just testimony. If charges are being brought two decades later, there must be something more substantial than just personal accounts. We’ll have to wait and see. But I wouldn’t second guess the prosecution or dismiss the possibility of a conviction simply because the alleged crimes happened 20 years ago. Murder is murder, rape is rape, and a crime is still a crime, regardless of how much time has passed.

I should have mentioned this from the start for its literary quality, somehow I had forgotten: Michel Houllebecq’s controversial novel entitled "Platform". Summary below: Platform (French: Plateforme) is a 2001 novel by French writer Michel Houellebecq (translated into English by Frank Wynne). It has received both great praise and great criticism, most notably for the novel's apparent condoning of sex tourism and Islamophobia. After describing Islam as "the most stupid religion" in a published interview about the book, Houellebecq was charged for inciting racial and religious hatred but the charges were ultimately dismissed, as it has been ruled that the right to free speech encompasses the right to criticize religions. The novel and its author have been deemed "prophetic" or "prescient", as the last part depicts an Islamic terrorist attack which bears strong similarities with the bombings in Bali in October 2002, about a year later (and the novel was published on 27 August 2001, a few days before the 11 September 2001 attacks). A similar coincidence, involving Houellebecq, Islam and terrorism, would occur 13 years later, when his novel Submission, dealing with Islam again (although in a more nuanced and less confrontational way), was published on 7 January 2015, the day of the Charlie Hebdo shooting. --- The story is the first-person narrative of a fictional character named Michel Renault, a Parisian civil servant who, after the death of his father and thanks to a hefty inheritance, engages in sex tourism in Thailand, where he meets a travel agent named Valérie. Valérie and Renault begin an affair, and, after moving back to France, hatch a plan with Valérie's boss (who works in the travel industry in the Aurore group, an allusion to the real-life Accor group) to launch a new variety of package holiday called "friendly tourism", implicitly aimed at Europeans looking for a sexual experience whilst on vacation. Single men and women—and even couples—are to be targeted, and would vacation in specially designed "Aphrodite Clubs". Initially, the name "Venus clubs"—an allusion to the Villa Venus clubs dreamed of by Eric Veen in Vladimir Nabokov's classic Ada or Ardor—is suggested, but is rejected as being too explicit. It is decided that Thailand is the best location for the new clubs, with the advertising making it clear that Thai women would also be easily available. The tours are to be marketed predominantly to German consumers, as it is perceived that there will be less moral outrage in Germany than in France. Michel, Valérie and her boss Jean-Yves travel to Thailand on one of their company's tours incognito and enjoy an idyllic holiday. They decide that they will move to Thailand permanently, to perpetuate the bliss they experience there. However, towards the end of their holiday, Muslim extremists commit a terrorist act in which Valérie is killed. Michel is left bereft, and at the end of the novel he travels back to Thailand to die.

Of maybe he will be room mates with Tommy Robinson pretty soon.

This is a criminal case. There is no financial benefit to anyone resulting from the outcome of this prosecution. Why would anyone question the intentions of the women? They are putting their own personal safety on the line by coming forward, full stop. If the allegations are true then they are certainly doing the right thing and making big personal sacrifices. And if the allegations are false then they are only screwing up their own lives for no good reason. I can't see any benefit to these women coming forward, whether he is guilty or not. Either way they lose. So the conspiracy theories suggesting they are lying or fabricating stories makes no sense on any level.

More conspiracies. Brand also went on a bizarre rant about the Government, Britain’s legal system and corruption. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said: "The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers. "The Met's investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police. "A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT[at]met.police.uk. "Support is also available by contacting the independent charity, Rape Crisis at 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line." Jaswant Narwal, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "We have today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Russell Brand with a number of sexual offences. "We carefully reviewed the evidence after a police investigation into allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary in September 2023. "We have concluded that Russell Brand should be charged with offences including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. "These relate to reported non-recent offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women. "He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court for a first hearing on Friday May 2, 2025. "The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and the defendant has the right to a fair trial. "It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings." https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/34288679/russell-brand-breaks-silence/

For the Trump supporters here who think there’s bias in any of the responses above, you can take the question from the subject header of this topic, run it through any AI model yourself, and see what you get. The answer will come out the same no matter which political party one supports. It’s a hypothetical question, and the responses from AI aren’t based on personal political beliefs.

How much of the following is already in play now, and where? ChatGPT's answer: That’s a heavy but thought-provoking question. If we’re exploring this as a theoretical or fictional scenario, maybe as a plot for a story or a political thought experiment, then it would make sense to look at it through the lens of plausible actions that could systematically weaken or destabilize a powerful nation from the top down. Here are some steps such a leader might take: 1. Undermine Institutions Attack the credibility of key institutions like the judiciary, free press, intelligence agencies, and electoral systems. Cast doubt on their integrity to erode public trust. 2. Polarize the Population Stoke division along racial, religious, economic, or ideological lines. Encourage tribalism and turn groups against each other to create internal chaos and distrust. 3. Corrupt the Rule of Law Appoint loyalists instead of qualified professionals, weaken checks and balances, pardon allies indiscriminately, and ignore legal norms. 4. Suppress Dissent Use state power to silence critics, intimidate journalists, and limit free expression. Target whistleblowers and protestors under the guise of national security or public order. 5. Destroy Alliances Withdraw from international treaties, insult allies, and cozy up to adversaries. Undermine global credibility and weaken strategic partnerships. 6. Tank the Economy Implement reckless fiscal or trade policies, stir up investor fear, ignore inflation or debt, and mismanage crises to trigger recessions or long-term decline. 7. Exploit National Emergencies Use crises like pandemics, wars, or economic collapses to seize more power, suspend civil liberties, and push through unpopular or extreme policies. 8. Weaken the Military Undermine the chain of command, politicize the military, purge experienced leaders, or engage in reckless conflicts that sap strength and morale. 9. Manipulate Elections Interfere with voting systems, suppress voter turnout, question results, or delay elections to create uncertainty or justify emergency rule. 10. Encourage Conspiracy and Disinformation Flood public discourse with false narratives to confuse people, distort reality, and make truth seem subjective or unknowable. --- Grok's answer: A president intent on destroying their own superpower would likely focus on undermining its core strengths—economic stability, military power, social cohesion, and global influence. Here’s a hypothetical breakdown of steps they might take: 1. Economic Sabotage: Push policies that tank the economy—massive, unsustainable debt through reckless spending or tax cuts with no plan to balance it, devalue the currency by meddling with central bank independence, or impose crippling trade barriers that alienate allies and disrupt supply chains. Encourage corruption to drain public funds and erode trust in institutions. 2. Military Weakening: Slash defense budgets without strategy, abandon key alliances like NATO, or pull troops from critical global hotspots, leaving a vacuum for rivals to exploit. Neglect infrastructure like naval fleets or cyber defenses, and leak sensitive intel to adversaries under the guise of “transparency.” 3. Social Division: Amplify cultural rifts by picking fights over divisive issues, weaponizing media to pit groups against each other—race, class, religion, whatever works. Undermine education with propaganda or defunding, ensuring a less capable future workforce. Ignore or exacerbate public health crises to sow chaos. 4. Institutional Erosion: Appoint loyalists over competence to key positions—judges, generals, agency heads—turning government into a personal fiefdom. Attack the rule of law by pardoning cronies, ignoring court rulings, or rigging elections. Dismantle checks and balances by bullying Congress or the press into submission. 5. Global Isolation: Pick pointless fights with allies, cozy up to hostile powers, and ditch international agreements—trade, climate, security—leaving the country friendless and exposed. Project weakness by botching responses to crises, inviting opportunists to test borders or influence. 6. Infrastructure Collapse: Let roads, bridges, power grids, and tech networks rot through neglect or outright sabotage. Block disaster relief or recovery efforts, turning natural setbacks into permanent scars. The result? A superpower gutted from within—broke, divided, defenseless, and irrelevant. Historically, no leader’s pulled this off single-handedly; it’d take a mix of intent, incompetence, and a complicit or apathetic system. Look at cases like Venezuela under Maduro—hyperinflation, exodus, and isolation—or Rome’s later emperors fiddling while barbarians closed in. Self-destruction’s a slow burn, not a switch flip.

Has anyone read Lawrence Osborne's novel the Glass Kingdom, published in 2020, and which is set in Bangkok? It follows an American woman who arrives in the city with a suitcase full of cash, hiding out in a luxurious yet eerie apartment complex—the “Glass Kingdom” of the title. The story unfolds against the backdrop of Bangkok’s chaotic energy, blending suspense with Osborne’s signature atmospheric prose. This novel reflects his deep familiarity with the city, where he has resided for years. Synopsis: Escaping New York for the anonymity of Bangkok, Sarah Mullins arrives in Thailand on the lam with nothing more than a suitcase of purloined money. Her plan is to lie low and map out her next move in a high-end apartment complex called the Kingdom, whose glass-fronted façade boasts views of the bustling city and glimpses into the vast honeycomb of lives within. It is not long before she meets the alluring Mali doing laps in the apartment pool, a fellow tenant determined to bring the quiet American out of her shell. An invitation to Mali’s weekly poker nights follows, and—fueled by shots of yadong, good food, and gossip—Sarah soon falls in with the Kingdom’s glamorous circle of ex-pat women. But as political chaos erupts on the streets below and attempted uprisings wrack the city, tensions tighten within the gilded compound. When the violence outside begins to invade the Kingdom in a series of strange disappearances, the residents are thrown into suspicion: both of the world beyond their windows and of one another. And under the constant surveillance of the building’s watchful inhabitants, Sarah’s safe haven begins to feel like a snare. From a master of atmosphere and mood, The Glass Kingdom is a brilliantly unsettling story of civil and psychological unrest, and an enthralling study of karma and human greed. --- I've also come across 5 more fairly recent titles, but haven't read any of these either: 1 - Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad (2019) This debut novel by a Thai-American author is a lyrical, multi-generational tale centered on Bangkok. It weaves together stories across time—past, present, and a speculative future—exploring the city’s evolution through its people, from missionaries and aristocrats to modern residents facing floods and urban decay. 2 - A Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning (2020) Set in 1970s Thailand, including Bangkok, this novel follows three young characters—students from vastly different backgrounds—caught up in the political upheaval of the time. Manning, a Thai-American writer, crafts a poignant coming-of-age story with a sharp eye for cultural and historical detail. Its focus on personal and societal tension though it leans more historical than suspenseful. 3 - The King of Bangkok by Claudio Sopranzetti, Sara Fabbri, and Chiara Natalucci (2021, English edition) This graphic novel, rooted in ethnographic research, follows a blind man’s journey from rural Thailand to Bangkok, culminating in the 2010 Red Shirt protests. The artwork and narrative combine to create a gritty, immersive portrait of the city’s underbelly and political strife. 4 - Comrade Aeon’s Field Guide to Bangkok by Emma Larkin (2021) Written by a pseudonymous author with deep ties to Thailand, this novel intertwines the lives of characters across generations, from a revolutionary recluse to a maid haunted by a construction site’s ghosts. Set in Bangkok, it’s a slow-burn narrative with lush prose and a keen sense of place, exploring resistance, memory, and urban transformation. 5 - All at Sea by Julian Sayarer (2017) This novel takes place partly in Thailand, including Bangkok, following a British cyclist reflecting on his travels and a lost love. Sayarer’s introspective, poetic writing captures the sensory overload of Thai settings with a melancholic edge.

A couple of the authors I enjoyed when I first discovered Thailand were Collin Piprell, Dean Barrett and Roger Crutchley. They weren't literary geniuses, but their writing was lighthearted and entertaining. I'm trying to remember some of the other early authors that I read back then, but drawing a blank. One of my favorite travel writing authors was Pico Iyer. He wasn't a fictional writer per se, but he wrote non-fiction with a real fiction kind of flare. I would say some of his writing was some of the best back then.

From Hong Kong? The tattoos on the man in the image appear to be inspired by traditional Japanese Irezumi. The bold, intricate patterns covering his chest, shoulders, and arms resemble classic Japanese full-body or sleeve tattoos, often associated with Yakuza culture. These designs typically feature mythological creatures, koi fish, samurai, and other elements deeply rooted in Japanese tattoo tradition. His tattoos have swirling patterns, floral elements, and possibly mythical or traditional imagery, further reinforcing the connection to Irezumi. Japanese tattoos are known for their detailed and colorful designs, frequently covering large areas of the body, such as the chest, back, and arms. They often incorporate motifs like koi fish, dragons, and cherry blossoms, all of which align with the style seen here. The use of bold lines and shading also points to this cultural origin.

Have you given any Indian "Microsoft Support" call center (scammers) remote access to your computer to "fix" anything lately? Install and run Malwarebytes. Then disable that temporarily and install and run TrendMicro. See if either of those finds anything. After done with both, remove Trendmicro and keep Malwarebytes running. If still having problems you could try Hitman Pro, which offers a fully functional (30-day free trial) that cleans malware, viruses, trojans, worms, keyloggers, rootkits, trackers, spyware and more. https://hitmanpro.com

I don't think I could stand to read another Thai bar girl story. The subject seems so overdone and pedestrian in 2025. But that's just me. Hope you enjoy it.

Congratulations. What a pathetic troll you are. Only a pest would put up fake news and think it's a big giggle. You've just been added to my ignore list. Well done.

Actually, if you turn the clock back about 30 years, you could probably fill a 300 page book with merely all the times I short timed inside a go-go bar. 🤣

Thank you. My pleasure.

It seems like the people in the health ministry are just trying to throw their weight around again to try and make their jobs seem relevant, but I don’t see this latest puff of smoke turning into anything. If they haven’t changed things in any way by now, it’s not going anywhere. I think most people in Thailand aren’t even focused on the subject anymore. It's found its place in local business and society and that's it. Plus, there are far more serious drug issues involving dangerous substances, and the country has too many real and pressing economic problems to deal with now than to shut down a billion-dollar plus industry that puts food on the table for tens of thousands of locals.

I read one or two of his early books ages ago—Bangkok 8 and possibly Bangkok Tattoo. I wasn’t really over the moon with either of them. They were okay, readable, but not particularly memorable. Meanwhile, I purposely split that list into two groups. The first ten are based on deeper subjects, while the second set of ten focuses on more superficial, typical go-to topics that authors gravitate toward when trying to sell lots of books to sex tourists and wannabe denizens—more in line with the genre Burnett focuses on.

Thank you for the suggestions, I'll check them out.

Fiction is often a really good type of reading if you want to learn about the nuances of a local society and customs. The stories are of course not real, but you can often learn a lot more about a place from a fictional novel than you can from some non-fiction writing.

Pretty. Decorative, small wooden boxes?