Burma Bill

I did by choice. I went to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Luang Prabang - the old capital city of Laos on the Mekong. A wonderful experience with such lovely scenery. (stock photo)

Out of a population of 71.6 million (2021) - a drop in the ocean! Thailand's covid paranoia again. No further comment from me.

Air bridge to Arrivals Hall??

Well I'm blowed - a real "headbanger"!

I wonder if his name was "J ARTHUR????? (UK cockney slang)

The very best of luck to you Sir, but I do have reservations when you are up against the minority, but powerful, anti-democratic Establishment and Military.

With the greatest respect, the fire appears to be clearing the area of some of those dreadful overhead wires!

Interesting comment "Move forward". This may not be so if Pita is eventually found guilty and his party is abolished, just like Thanathorn and his Future Forward party. Maybe a glimmer of hope if Bhumjaithai, the pro-military, pro-Monarchy, pro-establisment and anti true democracay party is abolished.

An interesting distribution, however here in Siem Reap where I live, at 1pm on 20 January 2024 it is a lovely refreshing day with sunshine and clear blue skies with no haze/smoke pollution.

It will be intereting to see after 90 days if the PM and his Government are summoned to the Chiang Mai's Administrative Court and found "guilty" for non-compliance. Will this pave the way for Anutin to become PM?

So she must pull all the strings in her loan sharking!

Not quite sure why these refugees are fleeing such townships, which are homes for the ethnic rebels. They are fighting the Terrorist Burmese Military (Tatmadaw) for freedom and democracy for their people. Are these Burmese refugees pro Junta supporters seeking the protection of the Thai Military?

And pigs might fly!!

I have flown with Thai Air Asia for several years now on International and Domestic routes. IMO an excellent budget airline and no complaints from me. When I lived in Thailand, Khon Kaen airport was the nearest for me and I always booked "Fly Thru" tickets to destinations in ASEAN - so convenient at that time as Air Asia was the only airline at KKC providing Immigration facilities in the International Departure lounge. I have never experienced cancelations, missed connecting flights, baggage problems, delays etc. Now living in Cambodia, I still use Thai Air Asia's "fly Thru" from Siem Reap to destinations in Thailand via DMK. Currently there are 3 flights to Bangkok DMK and 1 flight to Kuala Lumpur. For me, so convenient to reserve and pay for flights on my home computer via Air Asia's website - never had a problem. I then print my confirmed booking and flight itinerary which I present when checking in. None of this app lark! Thank you Air Asia - you are my first choice

For reference, January 10 2024: A temporary Chinese brokered peace deal for trade reasons between China and Burma. To continue to plunder Burmese natural resources?? Three powerful anti-junta groups – Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Arakan Army and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) – that launched an offensive against the military last October agreed to a temporary ceasefire in areas on the border with China on Thursday night, but there will be no halt in operations in other parts of Myanmar.................. The truce was finalised in talks held at Kunming during January 10-11 between the groups ..... and representatives of Myanmar’s State Administration Council (SAC). This was the third round of China-brokered dialogue since December and another truce last month collapsed within days. The temporary ceasefire will be limited to Myanmar’s Shan state bordering China and will have no impact in other areas such as Rakhine state and Sagaing region, which are located close to the border with India and have witnessed intense fighting in recent weeks..................were primarily focused on resumption of border trade and protection of Chinese nationals and investments in infrastructure projects. https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china-brokers-truce-in-northern-myanmar-no-let-up-in-fighting-in-other-areas-101705076569178.html

Been visiting China by any means??

No, I cannot speak Khmer, other than "hello" and "thank you". But not really a problem as many of the younger generation of Khmers can speak some English and they are eager to try out on you.

Sufficient to provide a comfortable living without any worries, unless I become seriously ill then I can draw on funds from the UK. Reason - I'm an insulin dependent Type 2 diabetic. I have 3 UK pensions for the rest of my life which are paid monthly into my bank account. I have no dependents, living alone, and these monthly pensions provide for a "worry free' and ideal life here in Cambodia. None of this cash in bank lark! I can access and use my cash whenever I like.

Yet again - THT "Trigger Happy Thailand"

You may be coughing and spluttering in Thailand (especially Bangkok) but here in Cambodia there is NO air pollution problem. For reference January 10 2024: Following a recent headline in the Bangkok Post which stated that the “PM2.5 inertial particle level is not safe in almost all (Thai) provinces.”, the director of Cambodia’s Air Quality Control Department at the Ministry of Environment has stated that the air situation in Cambodia is still good. https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501420830/compared-to-thailand-air-quality-situation-in-cambodia-is-still-good/ So, Thailand, may I suggest you get your own act together rather than point a finger at your neighbours. No further comment from me.

Absolutely correct. The farmers (and other village folk) generally use fine meshed blue netting - easy to gather in, as in fishing!

Yes indeed - and thanks. During my 20 years living in Thailand,first in Lanna and then in Isaan, drying rice on roads was a way of life (some may say culture) during the rice harvest season. The "Townies" and "Beach/Bar Bums" in the south have no idea. The dried rice is put into sacks and stored until required. These sacks are transported to a rice mill where the husks are removed to provide the rice grains which you cook. Anything coming out of beaurocratic Bangkok that affects this practise will, IMO, be ignored across the vast rural areas of Northern Thailand. Many of the local police and administration own farms and harvest rice this way. Interestingly, does this ban also include TEA? (in some mountain areas of North West Thailand e.g. Doi Mae Salong, which I used to visit as a Volunteer with the Tourist Police based in Chiang Rai)

Alas, poor Yorick! (Hamlet)

With respect, I have no intention of changing my name. I have never used Thailand Bill, as you suggest. I chose Burma Bill some years ago because where I lived near Chiang Rai/Phayao in Lanna, I went on regular monthly shopping trips across the border to Tachilek in Burma. I use Burma in protest at the Junta who renamed the country Myanmar. I also made several visits to Burma (Rangoon, Mandalay, Bagan and Hsipaw-Shan State) during the short period of democracy. A wonderful country with welcoming people. I have no intention to change to Cambodia Bill.

Oh really! I have lived in Cambodia for almost 4 years and I have not been asked to pay 1 Riel in taxes on my 3 UK pensions credited to a Cambodian bank. Tax is paid at source in the UK.