katatonic

7 minutes ago, Salerno said:

You can't transfer to Phuket; ASQ in Bkk or direct flight to Phuket for sandbox.

Yes, I know I have to quarantine in Bkk first then fly to Phuket to Sandbox.

So presumably we do have to apply for the e-visa? asq.in.th website still state we can get 45 day VOA. I'm due to leave Singapore soon, but I haven't been able to get vaccinated here (yacht captain - not eligible) nor can I go to the embassy, as I haven't been allowed to leave the marina (can sail in SG waters but not land) for 9 months, so the e-visa is a bit of a lifeline. I'm concerned that I have to apply via the UK embassy though, as I do not have a Singapore visa either, being on a Not-To-Land regime. Hopefully I can enter Bangkok to quarantine then do the Phuket Sandbox.

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The religion is commonly cited as one of the causes of the high road fatalities as Thai’s believe fatalistically that their lives are pre-ordained and they will happily move onto the next astral plane. 

 

Of course, no one wants to die and just like everyone else Thai’s are fearful of death. Go to any Thai funeral where someone has lost a loved one and you will see how upset people get. There is comfort in the belief that a loved one will live on reincarnated, however, there is still overwhelming grief.

 

Why is it that ‘some’ Thai's spend so much on amulets that the believe will protect them from death if they welcome death so much ?

 

Amulets may of course come into the carefree attitudes of indestructibility, but the reality is more simple. Many Thai’s are simply uneducated when it comes to driving / riding a motorcycle. For the most part the high road fatality statistics are a simple facet of nothing more than the total absence of thought. 

 

Its not that many people on Thailands roads don’t know the risks, but when riding or driving their mind is simply blank, nothing is going on, no thought of consequences or what if - many appear to be on a vacant auto-pilot.

This is where education plays an important role - educate people to ride and drive safely so that when they slip into the vacant mental slumber they have safer habits. 

 

 

Certainly a valid viewpoint, but I also think a large proportion of the serious accidents are caused by the 'me first' attitude: I will never forget someone in India pointing out to me that 'a buffalo never goes backwards' which kind of translates as always go round the back of a moving vehicle - or buffalo - rather than insisting on trying to cut them off, which Thais will always try to do. I find it incredible that instead of passing safely behind a car, truck, other bike, etc, pulling out of a junction or 'U' turning, etc, they will cross, often right onto the other side of the road, to go in front. Bang. Just plain stubbornness, I think, related to the driving on the right to stop people getting past them, just as they will always do to block an escalator. If you go to Singapore for a while (in better times of course) and return to Thailand it's glaringly obvious.

On 1/25/2021 at 8:20 AM, ChakaKhan said:

Hate is a hell of a drug.....also weak minds are easily misled...

Pretty obvious to anyone with an iota of common sense to see that, yes, Trump is hated by a very large section of the world population and also a complete idiot.

10 minutes ago, rickudon said:

In the UK, my ex-wife, a nurse, had Covid in November. Her 2nd cousin died of it age 73. She also had a colleague aged 59 who died of it last week. My son had a colleague who died of it earlier this month also in their 50's. A cousin of my father died last summer.

 

Some people obviously do not keep in contact with relatives or old acquaintances. They think they know a lot of people, but don't. 

My sister aged 54 had it and was quite sick for a few days - she's super fit so got over it, but 6 months later it recurred (latent symptoms not the virus, i.e. 'long Covid') and she was far worse, with pleurisy. That is likely to have effects far into the future.

16 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

 

Yes, been there a number of times. I am always very security conscious when I am there. I have to assume that some areas are safer than others. But, when I stayed in AC and Manila, my friends who had lived there for years, told me that I had to stay with a few blocks of my hotel at night, and that walking was not recommended, except with a small grid. I like the PI, for the people. Both the men and especially the amazing women. I would visit again, for sure. But, you have to watch your back. You will be fine, as long as you follow some basic precautions. 

 

The poverty there is grinding, and the people are far more prone to violence and infinitely more skillful as street fighters, than the average Thai, from my point of view.

 

I never feel threatened here, as long as I behave myself, show respect to the locals, and do not do anything really dumb. 

I stayed in Manila for a few months and actually never came across any problems at all, surprisingly, nor felt remotely threatened. I used to roam the backs street in Malate every night and apart from the, as you say, grinding poverty: way worse than even India, where I spent years, never had an issue. Some superb live music venues, way better than the generic tourist rubbish you more often come across. TheBar1951 absolutely recommended. I never made it to closing time, staggering out about 4am usually. I started work at 6.30.. Too good! And there's the best ever Spanish restaurant near there too. Some gems if you look.

1 hour ago, jvs said:

Been there a bunch of times,do not go around alone when you are drunk!!!It is a lot more dangerous over there!

I would suggest Puerto Galera on Mindoro island,has everything you want and all close to each other.Take a bus from Manila and a boat across to the island.

A lot of bars and nice beaches,White Beach is nice,at least it used to be.

Bars are a bit different over there.

I was about to post something similar. Cebu is a <deleted>hole. Went there on a boat and we lost a day due to literally tons of plastic rubbish on the anchor/chain. Puerta Galera is decent, some good bars, plenty of girly clubs/bars if you like that, the floating bars are great. Diving A1, if you want that too. Expats friendly. I went all over and that is the one place I would go back. Borocay: a good chance of being drugged and robbed - happened to me the last time I went - only there one night and on my 3rd drink, around sunset.. Worst hangover I've ever had.

1 minute ago, ronaldo0 said:

Amazing how often these boats just seem to catch fire ????????

If it was an insurance job it wasn't exactly the location I'd choose. And they can catch fire readily if the maintenance isn't up to scratch or they forget to turn the engine-room fans on etc. Diesel leaks, exhaust leaks, failed turbos, wiring, piles of oily rags..

2 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

Deceptive photo in the original post

Look at the one in the link above.

48 foot yacht?

If you look at the relative size of the guardrails the burning one is quite a lot bigger. I'd say 70'

'Losing 8,000 a day in lost revenue?'

6 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

Today's ST front page looks glorious. 

I don't think it's much of a leap in imagination to suggest that it's more pro-Marxism than anti-union. As well as social media indoctrination. Just my two-penn'orth.

2 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

 

How do you deduce that? It's a bit of a leap, and entirely off topic. 

It was a direct response to your question.

1 minute ago, RuamRudy said:

 

I believe it has been thought about, at least from the Scottish perspective.

 

If you were born in Scotland you will qualify for a Scottish passport. If you have Scottish heritage and wish to apply for a Scottish passport, again, that is open to you. 

 

If you were born elsewhere but are resident in Scotland at the time of independence, you can apply for residency. There will be no purge; all who wish to contribute to the creation of a better future will be welcome regardless of from where they hail. 

How much of a better future do you really think they'll all have once the nationalistic fervour has been exercised? 

1 minute ago, RuamRudy said:

 

I am not sure I follow. Regardless of your political perspective, you have the democratic right to campaign in favour of achieving your goals. That is a right that all enjoy and must never be compromised. 

 

You know a lot of people who have purchased second homes in another country in case the political landscape changes in the one in which they are resident? You must know a lot of rich people then. 

So I know some people who can afford second home cottages? That doesn't exactly make them rich! I guess you don't like people with significant disposable income then?

50 minutes ago, Phulublub said:

Whereas the Brexit debate was seemly and full of reasoned argument.  No tribal baying there at all.  Oh no.

 

But I ask yet again, why do you care so much?  Let the Scots leave if they wish then you won't have to worry about them.

 

PH

As with Brexit, no-one seems to have considered the ramifications for all the Scots and English living on the 'wrong' side of the border that will, in the event of a split, need visas and probable restrictions in length of their annual visits, to their homes. Not to mention work permits.

1 hour ago, RuamRudy said:

 

You must know some very slow moving ladies of the night because it was a whole 21 polls ago since the union was in the lead.

 

But if you believe in democracy, then those dissatisfied with the result can start campaigning the moment the results are announced. That's how democracy works. 

How democratic will it be it they win and leave the Union: when do you think they'll have another referendum after then? A lot of people will want one when they get their tax bill, if they haven't bought a house over the border first, like a lot of people I know have, just in case.
 

16 hours ago, tingtongfarang said:

Does that mean vaccinated whether wanted or not?

Why on earth wouldn't you want to? My parents have had it in the UK and are very happy about it.

8 hours ago, Ireland32 said:

Just an Example , I went into Coffee World at the Mall in Patong , 2 Iced lattes and one cookie 550 baht 2 years ago , that basically made my decision back to Pattaya , I didn’t come to Thailand to pay Western Prices and Taxi rates are A Disgrace 

I don't believe you: there is a Coffee World in Pattaya too, with the same prices: THB130 for a large one. Taxis aren't that bad either: airport new Camry taxi for a 50 minute trip costs 800 baht - how's that so terrible? Not that most people use taxis that often anyway, doubt if I've taken half a dozen rides in 13 years there. And very rarely go to Patong either, horrid place. Phuket is very diverse too, being over 60km end to end and 20 wide, beaches all round it, many varied places to live (bit bored? Move down the road) and Phang Nga bay is one of the world's finest and most stunning cruising locations. Krabi is close, Phi Phi, Railey Beach, Similan islands, etc etc. Sure the traffic's a drag but I drive 100 km a day for work in under 2 hours and I'm ok with that.

6 hours ago, newnative said:

     Give it a rest.  Every city in the World has cases of domestic violence.  Your time might be better spent going on to Chicago Visa and commenting on the 875 murders Chicago had last year.  

Give it a rest. So you have Pattaya and Chicago, Thailand and America, neither exactly representative of the rest of the world, in fact probably both in the bottom ten safest: up there with failed states and war zones.