Speedhump

35 minutes ago, mikebike said:

I believe the seed of corruption resides in virtually all of us. Power only affects our ability to exersise it.

 

Tell me honestly that you wouldn't correct or erase something from your life, or that of a loved one, at some point in your life, if you could do it or have done it consequence-free?

The seed is irrelevant. The will to exercise personal discretion grows in proportion to the ability to use it. A seed is not a fully grown plant. It doesn't germinate without the proper conditions. We all can be born with the possibility of different characteristics, but that's not relevant to our later life choices. If you want to equate psychology with botany/zoology this is the best I can do. 

35 minutes ago, mikebike said:

Come on... all humans believe the rules don't apply to themselves to a certain extent.

 

The only difference is the elite usually get away with it due to systemic bias towards them.

No, there is certainly very often a 'holier than thou' aspect to the behaviour of those who believe themselves to be the anointed; by position or by power, or by birth. You don't believe that power corrupts? 

Just now, rott said:

The Reformation: A History

Diarmaid MacCulloch

 

A bit of interesting if unintentional myth busting. 

 

The word Protestant originated from the 2nd Diet of Speyer 1529, when the Lutheran Princes issued a Protestatio (Latin for Statement or Declaration) of their common principles. They became known as Protestants (the People of the Declaration). 

 

So not the accepted "truth" that "it was because Luther made a protest". 

That's a good book, I also read it. 

Just finished The Black Prince by Michael Jones. A very good account of his life and of chivalry as practised on the 14th century. 

Now reading The Great Empires of Asia, but it's disappointing, seven potted histories with little meat. 

I think maybe an Iain Banks novel next. 

11 hours ago, Thomas J said:

Mantra of the liberal elite.  I make rules for Thee not for Me

Quite. The elite always believe they behave better than the rest of people so the rules don't apply to them. 

But I'd be interested to know how you feel the Thai government is 'liberal'. ????

On 5/26/2021 at 4:04 PM, nikmar said:

managed to find and download "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph conrad on to my phone for free, so im killing my eyesight by reading it on my tiny little samsung!!

 

good book though. provided the inspirationfor Apocalypse Now,

Buy a secondhand Kindle (or even new). It will change your experience. Use the caliber app on PC or Mac to upload/download books and manage your whole ebook library. I read in the pool and in the dark quite a bit, so paper books are now just for decoration or research. ????

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

This completed form. Transfer Stamps To A New Passport

Copy of new passport photo page.

Copies of old a passport photo page and the pages with a Thai visa or a stamp for Thailand on it (office dependent but many want all those copies).

In Hua Hin last year I was not asked for any form, but if ubonjoe says there is one then of course take it. 

The service is free. I was asked for 500 Baht by immigration, but when I insisted on a formal pink receipt for it, the money was returned to me.... 

30 minutes ago, Rocking Robert said:

Sure you did

I think too much hangover this morning? ????

2 hours ago, The retired guy said:

We are using “Bolt”, half the price compared to Grab 

I heard that. No doubt just trying to grab (hah) market share then will normalise prices to the market. Get it while you can. ????

15 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Yes I pay cash. The times I've used the app or approached "Grab" branded parked cars, the drivers all want to negotiate a fare. I guess if one registers a form of electronic payment, if they accept the ride they would take the app based fare.

Must be ingrained in the local drivers maybe! Never had that once in BKK or HH. I have taken rides 2 or 3 times on COD basis when my card got deregistered somehow but still never had this. Good luck! 

7 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

3BB 1000/500 fibre using NordVPN.

1st speedtest using VPN connected to Singapore.

2nd speedtest no VPN.

 

 

Nice to see someone using CLI for precision. Web overheads must have effect otherwise?

5 hours ago, jobsworth said:

I just wish that the one baht coin had a hole in the middle like it used to so that we could tie them together in bundles of ten to ease payments.

You don't just dump your small change in the charity boxes? 

44 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

Would be interested to see how it works in Phuket and Koh Samui where taxi meters are rarely used. I went to Samui first many years ago where the taxi driver denied it had a meter in spite of the sign on the roof. I pressed the cover over the radio slot, which opened to reveal a sparkling meter displaying a fare a third of what he was trying to charge me. We came to a satisfactory arrangement for both of us!

You mean you still overpaid a bit? Or he drove away with all teeth intact? ????

29 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Yeah, there are Grab cars in Pattaya too...that don't use the posted app fares.

That's a shame but I don't understand it. The app gives you the expected fare, the app controls the fare. You can see it in your phone. Thinking about it, maybe you're paying cash and giving what the driver demands without checking the final fare! Even then my app shows the final fare after the journey's complete. I registered a debit card on the app and only part with 20 or 40 baht tip each time when getting out at the destination. Interesting. 

5 minutes ago, WineOh said:

What about Uber? 

I guess they can hi

25 minutes ago, chalawaan said:

No, everything runs in the Grab app, you order the ride online, they give you a fare estimate before you accept, sometimes there are discounts, or the fare is actually lower on arrival, and then you can even pay and tip the driver thru the app. It also has a translate feature (automatic) and you can send a tracking message to friends expecting you, plus a panic button, and many other great features, long live the internets!

EDit: Fares do fluctuate according to demand, but never feel like a rip-off, the complaints system is independent and robust. The only glitch is sometimes the system gets your location wrong, so pay attention to the map when youre ordering the ride, and make sure it has your pick-up right.

Grab definitely more expensive now than 28 months ago. My previously 160 Baht 8km journey now is never less than 180, can be 200. Still cheaper than a tuk-tuk. And a lot more comfortable. 

37 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

I assume this applies to Bangkok and surrounding areas and not in the provinces, where "Meter Taxis" never use their meters.

There's no such thing as a metered taxi in Hua Hin. But four-wheeled tuk tuks and Grab work perfectly fine, plus private cars advertising on Line, etc. 

Stay away. It's far too quiet for you, deserted beaches and lots of Covid. Hua Hin is reserved for we who live here. 

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

Used it for several years and never had a problem, works perfectly well.

????

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

Being offline does not equate to a problem with any particular application.

Has worked perfectly well for several years.

So give me a good reason why it's sometimes been offline for months at a time? 

Cheap, hot and the healthcare is acceptable standard. My wife and I are both British and in our 60s, and had to leave the UAE when I stopped working. Our adult kids still live there so it's not too far away from them. 

1 minute ago, BigFun said:

Face it, its not always intentional, which can be more worrying. I mean, they just discovered Covid happens in prisons too ????

It just seems that most ministerial or other bighat statements always start on the premise that Thais are more important to look after than farang. I'm not even saying it's wrong, if I were Thai I'd probably like to hear that myself. 

37 minutes ago, sandyf said:

If you had been paying any attention you would know it is to do with database integration, hardly the simplistic matter you seem to think.

Only the delusional would think it starts and ends with what they see on the screen.

Integrated government databases need the actual will to do it and with plenty of money thrown at it. The UAE organised pretty much fully integrated government services for the population (mostly migrants) within a few years. Thailand still can't get even the 90 day online service working after several years.... 

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

A positive step in the right direction, it seems that the willingness to include foreigners is there, let's up hope that that it will lead into action and not just empty words...

You have to feel they've been shamed into it by the adverse publicity surrounding their previous 'it's for Thais' attitude. 

On 5/11/2021 at 11:04 AM, digger70 said:

Technology isn't Always for the Better .

It makes people Slack and Lazy . 

People are people. If they're lazy then they also were before they found a timesaving technology. Alternatively, tech can make you more productive and happier if you use your extra time well. ????????

Clive, I'm just wondering, are you both part of a crime syndicate who burned your prints off with acid. Maybe you forgot? 

Have a great week ahead ????????