NorthernRyland

No it didn't. It was missing literal years of trial data which would have captured the risks we know about now if it was run longer. Some countries (Canada off the top of my head) retracted use of the vaccine for certain age groups AFTER learning of negative side effects.

It's almost like it's a bad idea to let wild dogs roam the streets but what do I know...

Thanks. Going to Samui by train sounds like a pretty big chore but maybe the only way possible if traveling with a bike.

I was thinking of escaping the smoke season in Chiang Mai and going some Island, probably Samui since I've never been. Ah the soft bag has some warning attached with it. Maybe that's a bad idea then but I heard good reviews from other airlines. In fact many said the opposite, a hard case got treated worse since the staff perceived it to be safe to throw around. If they toss a bike they do a normal bag and store other bags on it they could easily break it.

I've never traveled with a bike before but I'd like to try. I read BKK airways allows you take bikes on but has anyone had any good experiences? Obviously I'm worried about them destroying a carbon frame by crushing the case (I read good reviews on people traveling with soft cases in the US). Reading this it almost sounds like they let you take it on board but I doubt that. https://www.bangkokair.com/press-release/view/Bangkok Airways Launches “Bike On Board” Service Any thoughts appreciated.

They reduced it from lifetime then to 30 and now only 20 for the 1 million baht one?

You're still effectively a tourist, albeit a little longer term. 90 day reports are included also so you interact with immigration the same amount as a tourist would on a METV. No other special privileges, double pricing the same as tourists etc... IMO all foreigners in Thailand are tourists and I refer to myself as a tourist if anyone asks.

I don't smoke weed don't like it and don't really like the culture surrounding it. Having said that, Thailand has such a grotesque problem with alcohol and general driving conditions I find it hilarious they're pretending like weed is such a problem. Talk about getting your priorities wrong.

Thailands COVID numbers have always been unreliable and I bet it's worse now. I wouldn't trust them personally if I actually cared about such things. Best thing to do is avoid crowds and tourists areas.

Myself and anyone who will listen. ???? Well well well, look at this picture my wife sent me this morning. Another person crashes in front of our house, this time smashing into the wall. That's 3 in the last month now. Man we gotta move...

Driving around many parts of CM look are industrial wastelands with dirty dusty roads abutting decaying old town houses with messes of motorbikes and rat nets of wires everywhere. I love Thailand when it's the country and smaller villages but so-called developed Thailand is a 3rd world dump.

Yes that's happening for sure (I live in Mae Jo). I stopped going in to the city (even by car) unless I absolutely need to because it's such a miserable experience getting trapped in traffic and intersections. I bet many other people are doing the same. Basically CM is screwed unless they can figure out their infrastructure problem and make proper highways instead of cluster f**ked stroads which serve all purposes but poorly.

Chiang Mai is not pleasant to live in anymore to be frank. Even moving outside the city is getting worse every year for the reasons you mentioned. I really notice when I came back from Colorado in the summer and I'm instantly stressed/annoyed doing simple things because the traffic is so much and Thai's are such reckless drivers (I'm in the northern outskirts of the city in Mae Jo/Mae Rim). City is solidly polluted 12 months of the year now and only getting worse. Another bad development, where I am we're get trapped by busy and dangerous expanding highway networks which are required to go anywhere so it's impossible to have even a single non-stress day without doing tons of U-turns and interleaving with heavy traffic going at high speeds. So you have all these features of cities but accessing them is such a pain you often go without. I've been complaining about this for years and noticing it's getting worse every year (since I came in 2005). Question is what to do about the wives job here and where would be better. ????

good man.

This reminds me of how Thai's walk around in THEIR villages with sticks to fend off dogs. I'm sorry, who really is the master in this relationship?

I'm hoping Japan invades and colonizes them. They would fix the problem real fast.

Oh man I've come to hate the cops here so much. Only they have the authority to help but they refuse to do anything. If I could install a camera on the road I live next to you could see the police sitting their in the their office while everyone breaks the laws all day and then superimpose fatal accidents on top of that footage. They're worse than useless.

I tend to agree myself. It always bothers me when I driving along in the left motorbike lane and some person comes to a halt to make a right turn. Problem is the traffic is going so damn fast it's often difficult to even get an open chance to get into the right lane to make a turn. For me personally I'm trying to move out of Chiang Mai now since this is an ongoing quality of life issue that stresses me out on a daily basis. The roads are getting busier and more dangerous every year and once open roads are turning into U turn deaths traps that waste time and are dangerous. Sadly Thailand is moving backwards in this regard so I find it hilarious when they make plans for "50% less deaths by 2030" or whatever nonsense they come out with.

It's not a colonial government, it's staffed by Thai people themselves and that especially goes for the police who are as common as they come. If you ask them they can understand why these scenarios are dangerous but they'll just give you tons of excuses as to why it has to be like this. 100% their fault and that includes the drivers the police and government in general.

Oh I may have got that wrong. I guess the same principle applies though. People driving way too fast on a road where people need to slow down to turn. It's a guarantee this is going to happen if you're going 90k (the posted speed limit) and people are slowing down to park or turn.

This practice of parking in the left most lane before turning is the sign of a low trust society. You literally can't trust the other drivers to not hit you so out of fear you have to do things like this. Proper policing would fix this but there's no indication that will ever happen.

U turns are a plague in Thailand. People need to slow down to turn into these things even if there is a middle lane you can eventually get into to actually wait. This puts you in a collision course with the cars in the right lane and when you actually turn as you're entering going slower then the rest of the other cars. Problem happens because Thais and the police refuse to drive at safe speeds considering what the U turns require. There's a U turn outside my house and just last week there were two accidents. Totally preventable and caused by stupid lazy and selfish people (the public and the police included).

I think that's debatable. Foreigners owning land is illegal so long term leases COULD be construed as ownership. Not saying this isn't a good idea and not to do it but I would expect the worst to be totally honest and plan around that.

Oh you mean the house is next their family? Oh yeah that's awkward! It is possible she dies first and on good terms so the family isn't trying to destroy you, hopefully...

For what It's worth I watched some YouTube Thai lawyer videos on this topic (Usufructs) and it sounds a little dubious this would hold up if one of the family members really was dedicated to getting the house from you. They sound good on paper but when challenged in court that's another matter.