Burma Bill

As a former country bumpkin living in Thailand, Bangkok always was a poxy city!!

Yes indeed, thanks. Just imagine how many thousands of tourists not being able to contact family/friends back home with holiday experiences and photos. TAT take note!

What on earth is the relevence of this to the murder report? RIP young man.

Eyes glued to a smartphone?

Very much so, thanks. 2027 may see the opening of the HSR between Bangkok and Korat, Phase 1, but onwards to Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Nong Khai and across the Mekong on a new bridge to Vientiane will be in the 2030's! No construction has started on Phase 2 which is in limbo until a new Government is formed. Picture of the proposed new HSR bridge across the Mekong between Nong Khai and Vientiane. https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011090

Monk goes viral for auto rubbish-collecting Holy sh.t!

I live in a suburb (Sangat) of Siem Reap City. Expat medical insurance is available, in fact as I type, an advert for such insurance flashes across my computer screen offering "up to 40% off". I cannot get medical insurance because I am an insulin dependent Diabetic with blood pressure problems. From experience, after having made enquiries, anyone over 65 wanting insurance of any kind could have difficulty in Cambodia. My daily routine would be very boring to most people. Domestic chores, do all of my own cooking, into town by tuk-tuk for the supermarket, pharmacy, bank, laundry and other shops. Most days I stay at home and work at my computer. Evenings are spent watching videos on You Tube. Now and again I treat myself to dinner at my favourite restaurant. I also take a ride to Angkor Wat and the other temples as I get a free annual pass to the Archaeological Park. Any foreigner who has resided in Cambodia continually for 2 years is entitled to one which is renewable each year. Ocassionally I join my landlord on the veranda for Gin & Tonic "sundowners".

LOS - Land of Scams - again!!

No partner, I have always taken care of myself. My Khmer landlord and his family kindly assist me if needed. Yes, I have several Khmer friends who I met whilst on holiday trips from Khon Kaen with Air Asia. They helped to arrange and organise accomodation etc. for my arrival from Thailand. IMO the Khmer folk are much friendlier than the Thais.

I can only comment on Siem Reap where I have lived for the past 3 years, after leaving Thailand where I lived for 20 years. My main reason for leaving Thailand was the hassle free system to get a one year retirement visa (if you are 55 or older). No "money in the bank" scam, no bureaucratic bank/administrative paperwork, no bank account and no 90 day reports. During the pandemic, Siem Reap underwent a massive infrastructure improvement project and now we have new roads, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, dedicated cycle lanes, safe pavements, footpaths, riverside walks and revitalised parks. (including the Angkor Wat complex with restoration work). Pub Street is in full swing with many tourists as I noticed this evening. Many of the bars and restaurants have been rebuilt or refurbished. Being 79 years old, nightlife is no longer an issue for me. Alcoholic drinks (beers, spirits, wines and ciders) are infinitely cheaper than in Thailand. A glass of one of the draught Cambodian beers can be 50 cents (18 baht). I can buy a 1 litre bottle of Gordons Gin for 12$ (440 baht). Being a diabetic, the availability of low sugar/sugar free products is so much better than in Thailand, with many imported from the UK. Overall I find it much cheaper to live here than in Thailand. On the down side are medical facilities should you need hospitalisation for major treatment. There are many private medical and dental clinics in Siem Reap offering basic treatment but should you need major surgery etc. this will be very expensive. In fact many monied Khmer patients go to Bangkok or, like my landlord and his family, across the border to the Thai Government Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani as private patients. I do not regret my move and it was one of the better decisions in my life.

With respect, this may appear so, but intelligence may be available that is deemed "not of interest to the public domain" whilst further investigations continue. A sad operation - yes indeed with so many pangolins being slaughtered BUT their scales have not reached the Chinese Traditional Medicine market possibly creating many "sick" Chinese. Reference Google: The Squama Manitis (pangolin scale) is a medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), commonly used to promote lactation in women and reduce swelling.

WOW! that is a lot of unfortunate Pangolins. I wonder what happened to their carcases? The shy, harmless pangolin is becoming increasingly well known for one reason: It’s believed to be the world’s most trafficked non-human mammal. Tens of thousands of pangolins are poached every year, killed for their scales for use in traditional Chinese medicine and for their meat, a delicacy among some ultra-wealthy in China and Vietnam. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/pangolins

It has, in an update in AN: The hotel in question, the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, responded via a Facebook post addressing the situation. The Manager involved has been suspended.

The railway track shown in the photo is definitely not High Speed Standard, must be narrow gauge for constructor's use. Pity the diesel locomotive had no display as shown below. The photo could then have been titled "Thomas & Friends".

Normally - yes! but being Thailand it still looks to be in "fair" condition and will be rebuilt and sold on to an unsuspecting customer (one of the reasons to be very wary when buying a secondhand vehicle in Thailand). For starters, I have seen a bent chassis being pulled back into reasonable shape with chains and pulleys!

A very tragic and sad post, seeing the young lad up-front on the motorbike not knowing he was being driven to his death. It brought tears to my eyes. His murder ranks among the worst I ever experienced as a UK forensic scientist. RIP young lad in that heavenly kindergarten.

Maybe a few more exploding batteries and serious fires will destroy the Chinese EV industry! In China, 640 EVs caught fire in the first quarter of 2022, up 32 percent. https://www.wapcar.my/news/in-china-640-evs-caught-fire-in-the-first-quarter-of-2022-up-32-percent-45371

Some interesting posts about local monks not getting treatment. Where I lived in Khon Kaen Province, the local Government Hospital's Diabetic Clinic (which I attended) also treated many monks who used to sit waiting to see the doctor. In fact there was a small row of seperate seats just for monks. like myself, they were prescribed the appropriate medication.

Yes indeed, exactly what I thought! From OP the value of the Rolls Royce is quoted as 32 million baht.

Out of interest, are there any female traffic officers in Thailand like they have in North Korea??

Of primary importance for me, an ensuite bathroom with a "walk under" shower. Not a bath or shower unit above a bath. Why? Several years ago whilst on holiday in Chiang Mai, I slipped in the bath whilst using an overhead shower unit, the hotel had no slip mats. I crashed down onto the bath edge, breaking 3 ribs and puncturing my right lung, resulting in 2 weeks hospitalisation in Chiang Mai (4 days in ICU). At my age now, getting into and out of a bath is extremely difficult. Here in Cambodia where I now live, my apartment has 2 ensuite bathrooms both with "walk under" showers - great!

A very sad story. RIP Tula.

Quite correct, thanks. Den Chai will become a junction with existing metre gauge lines to Chiang Mai and new ones to Chiang Rai and Chiang Khong. Work is already under construction, including what will be Thailand's longest railway tunnel. The 6.2 kilometre long tunnel is part of the Den Chai to Chiang Khong railway that is now being built to connect Thailand with Laos. Of particular interest for tourists is that this new line will also have a railway station on the outskirts of Chiang Rai city. If the double track line is finished on time, it is expected to open for service in 2028. https://www.thaitrainguide.com/2023/03/06/excavation-of-thailands-longest-railway-tunnel-has-begun/

I lived in the Chiang Mai area for 14 years and I never witnessed a large fire within the city. However, during the hot and dry season, fires did occur in the forests on the mountains surrounding the city, but never extending into the city. More of a problem were the floods during the wet season when the Ping River overflowed causing riverside flooding.

Surely it is the Thai humans that take tourists for a ride?