koratkarlos

The real issue here in Thailand is YABA, not weed.  I hope they pay attention to the YABA problem also.

After spending the last few days driving round-trip between Chiang Mai and Korat I did see more police checks but no change in driving behavior.  In a few weeks this will go away and become forgotten.  Driver education is needed in Thailand.

Like spidermike I am also working in the US now.  It is so expensive.  Everything.  And the country is quite polarized.  I look at my return ticket purchase daily.  Can't wait to get back.  The food, people, culture, peacefullness, scenery, etc. are preferable to me than the mall stricken stressed good ole U S of A.

As most of us do not pay taxes in Thailand, I feel the dual pricing for parks is OK.  I don't mind.  The parks are very nice.

But on the street for food or buying other things it makes me angry when a Thai raises his price as he think foreigners have more money.  I just don't buy from these people.  It does not take long to learn the "Thai" prices.

The 50,000/day COVID number implies a 100% positivity rate per my thinking, as they only do 50,000 tests per day.  Accordingly, any elevation of the reported numbers is politically motivated as they will have to increase the testing.  None of this really matters.  COVID is here and will find its way, even in lockdown China.  We only hope our bodies can withstand this dreadful disease.

Just read that Chiang Mai Province is cancelling water splashing and alchohol this Songkran.  I had already decided not to go although I want to.  I see people setting up tents and restaurants along the Ping River.  It looks like up in the country there will be a celebration anyway.

His statement relates to the Thai tendency to always blame something when bad things happen.  So he will blame alchohol.  He already blamed farangs.  What a great excuse he can use when the numbers spike, although I doubt they will be accurately recorded.  Maybe a few thousand bump up after Songkran to make it look like they are doing their jobs by testing.  He will always blame something instead of doing his job to make sure everybody gets vaccinated and testing is done to identify clusters.  It is far easier to sit back and restrict our society then actually do something that makes a difference.

I believe the reported numbers are accurate according to the self-imposed government rules, namely;

1) only count the really sick people with positive PCR results in the hospital,

2) limit PCR testing to 50,000/day,

3) never count antigen positive results,

4) double test, count and publicize every farang with any trace of COVID, even if a false positive from sample contamination,

5) don't work too hard on the weekends,

6) never proactively randomly test for COVID to determine clusters,

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY REMEMBER

Anutin has everything under control.

2 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Numbers of cases here in the village is going crazy.

Same for us here in rural Mae Taeng.  Covid is everywhere.  I plan on skipping Songkran.

Gentleman

Any recommendations on how to ship 2 10 kg boxes back to the USA are greatly appreciated.  If it takes 4 to 6 weeks that is OK.  I really don't want them to get lost.  But I also don't want to pay FedEx type charges.  It is my understanding that the Thai Post partenered with DHL for this type of shipment.  Perhpas this is the way to go, I just don't know.  Thank you in advance.

Why is the government so worried about money laundering?  They are admitting to serious budget deficits but limiting deposits at certain banks.  Maybe they will catch their own hand in the laundering cookie jar.  And S and P just down graded the Thai Bank debt.  With no tourists coming for a long time, increased oil prices and mounting consumer debt perhaps the financial focus should be redirected.

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

--if they reduce current COVID restrictions (the red scenario), daily cases could peak at more than 100,000 by mid April.

 

--if they maintain current restrictions (the yellow level), daily cases could hit around 50,000 by mid April.

 

--and if they tighten current restrictions and increase the daily vaccinations rate (the green scenario), it could bring daily cases below the 20,000 mark by mid April and keep them below that level.

TallGuyJohnny, thank you again for your valuable information.  My question is do you think that restrictions are going to make any difference at all at this point in time?  Look at China, Germany and S. Korea now.   Don't get me wrong, I am concerned and believe that there is more COVID out there then ever albeit a milder Omicron version.  I still don't want to get this virus as it is unpredictable.  But in reality I believe there is not much one can do now except get fully vaccinated and boosted.  I also try to stay away from other people but I am really getting COVID burned out and want so much for things to get back to normal.

I bicycle every day.  For two years in Korat and 1 1/2 years in Chiang Mai.  In Korat the dogs were so bad I carried a collapsible steel baton.  Things in Chiang Mai are better.  The dogs do not seem so angry as they do in Korat.  I don't understand why.

Besides driving here the soi dogs are my biggest fear.  I think the situation could be better controlled.

I feel really sorry for the son.  He will fear dogs for the rest of his life.  

For me this is not about the dog breed but about the owner taking responsibility.  If he doesn't pay jail time.  The time I was bit here in Thailand the owner paid for the hospital, rabies shots and took the dog away.  I thought it was fair.

7 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Dominion Voting Systems would solve that, you can appoint anyone of your choosing as leader 

I  hope you are not serious here.   Time to move on.

Now that much of the Russian army is in Ukraine it is a good time to attack Russia and take this liar Putin out.  The sooner this is done the better off the world will be.