John Drake

"he said he would press Bangkok to reduce its dependence on oil and gas from neighboring Myanmar, where the ruling military junta is committing “horrifying atrocities," _______ Ought to be a popular figure right off the bat.

After these crimes against humanity, the Russian Federation needs to be unFederated. Leave a rump state in Moscow, and divide the rest of the "federation" into five or six independent countries. Playing nice with Russia after 1989 got the world to this point. You can never trust the current geopolitical entity never to return, as it inevitably seems to do, to tyrants and dictators.

Where's the laugh emoji when you need it?

One big loser is China, whose aircraft and missile systems are not even of Russian quality but Chinese copies of Russian designs. Nothing like seeing state of the art Russian military equipment blown to pieces by 30+ year old American HIMARS and the like. Meanwhile, the biggest winner of the war might be Taiwan, which is much more advanced than Ukraine. China looking to invade Taiwan with Russian military thinking and technology might be having second thoughts.

OTOH ng will be available and not at four X the cost in North America. The European situation is unique. They let the Germans determine their energy policy. And the Germans were in the pocket of the Russians. It's going to cost Europeans to rectify that situation--or forever be puppets on Putin's strings.

Looks like the Russians still rile people up. As should be the case. It's a brutal government in the main supported by a coarse, brutal population, it seems. Thailand may have made a mistake, however, in betting on neutrality that favors the Russians. The Ukrainian blitz is recapturing territory and the Russians are fleeing like whipped dogs. I admit I was fooled by Russian propaganda about all their superweapons and supersoldiers. Turns out their hypersonic missiles, atomic powered cruise missiles, superior performing stealth fighters, and robot operated tanks are just a pile of junk. Like the rest of their military material, which is going up in flames even as I write this. And their supersoldiers have turned out to be either 1) cowards 2) war criminals committing atrocities or 3) a combination of both.

Are you equating "refugees" with "violent offenders?"

No, thank you.

I see. Too bad. Under which topic?

This site seems to have eliminated many of the emojis. I see that I can no longer laugh at/with people. I'm guessing that the laugh really riled people up.

More stimulus being dumped into the system. Wonder if this will have a significant affect on the British currency's exchange rate?

There are two types of Americans who have a fetish for British royalty.

Yes, God's will. Or in Charles' case, Allah's.

No, thank you, I'll pass this time around, especially if it's an mRNA vaccine. Shockingly to some, however, I might consider a Chinese vaccine. But not what is on offer from the likes of Pfizer and Moderna.

Was wondering if this topic would reappear this year. And voila! here it is. 2011 has forever scarred me.

Just watched the first minute and it mostly seemed to consist of broken down balding old potbellies.

Then how do they explain Kwai Chang Caine at the Shaolin Temple, hmmm?

They did the seatbelt crackdown already about five or six years ago. I remember the placards, in English, hanging off the front seats of taxis. Also remember a crackdown on going the wrong way about the same time. Used to be a giant sign warning 1000 baht fine for going about 30 meters the wrong way in order to get on the highway overpass near my house--otherwise, you need to make two U-turns and go about 1.5 km.

Thailand exists for Thais as well. https://theconversation.com/as-countries-ranging-from-indonesia-to-mexico-aim-to-attract-digital-nomads-locals-say-not-so-fast-189283

Who is "our," Michael Bridge?

A tourism industry newspaper generating income from ginned up business. No conflict of interest at all. This essentially is a reprinted press release. What is the criteria for publishing stuff like this?

OTOH there is the possibility that those with the choice will close down their homes in cold weather countries and save money on heating by relocating to Thailand (or similar warm weather place) for three months or more.

JonnyF is right, and you are wrong if you think gun violence is the only reason. The article mentions taxes, wanting to die back home, and Osborne's wife saying America is disunited.

Yes.

Seems to happen to a lot of French. Guess they don't get out of the city much back home.