VBF

You are confusing the dogma of faith with the dismissal of ignorance. That's the point - Atheism is as much a a belief system as any religion. For me being Agnostic makes more sense, of which one comparison is: "Atheists typically maintain that there is no God, while agnostics believe it's impossible to know for sure whether one exists or not" makes far more sense. As an Agnostic, I confess I don't know, but also that I don't care! It has no bearing on my life. Other people's belief in any of the conventional religions is just that - belief without proof. If it comforts them, then my view is enjoy your belief as long as you don't harm anyone else in the process. THAT is where the harm lies - religions get "hijacked" by extremists , then twisted and used to promote evil. For me, belief without proof is basically a conspiracy theory where people try to evade responsibility for their own thoughts/actions and blame someone/thing else. And, finally, I love this quote: All religion is a foolish answer to a foolish question (Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby in "Peaky Blinders")

I don't know. If that's the case, then there must be some sort of agreement with the other countries. Then maybe my theory is off. If you two actually READ the thread, @Patong2021 explained it quite succinctly above!

Gangnam-style military 😅

I can sympathise there. As much as I love my annual or more trips to Pattaya, I always seem to get a persistent cough there, whereas when I'm home (UK) I'm usually pretty healthy. (Well healthy, if not pretty 😊) Whilst in Patts, this last trip, I met up with a friend from CM who confirmed that Patts air quality was far better than CM, and I know that Jomtien is marginally better than Patts. Reading this thread, I'm surmising that pretty much everywhere on the CM latitude has similar air quality issues (?) @simon43 Excuse the impertinence but If I was trying to make the decision that you're trying to make, having read this thread, I honestly think I'd stay put. My logic is that nowhere is better on all fronts than where you are now - everywhere has plusses and minuses and you're familiar with your current location. You said that "What I don't want to do in my retirement is simply do nothing, get fat, drink beer and catch STDs from 'professional' woman." IMO that's simple - don't! There are opportunities in the Pattaya / Jomtien areas to widen your horizons plus if you need to do something in the big city, Bangkok isn't far away. and it's very accessible. From everything that's been said here, I honestly feel that that is how I'd look at it, plus it's the cheapest option. Your "7,000 baht a month for a modern studio condo that's 300 metres from the beach" and assuming your neighbours aren't too intrusive, doesn't sound too bad to me. (Some years ago I stayed in Pattaya Beach Condo on Second Road for 5 months and found the location very likeable) As I say excuse the impertinence, but you did ask for opinions, and as they say, "opinions are like a-holes - we've all got one and some stink more than others" Chock-di.

And he wasted the rest 😁 2 friends of mine were chatting about that some time ago: L said to P "you're so lazy - you spend half your time in bed" P replied to L "No, just half my money" All right, I'm going.......

Absolutely! I've always hated the phrase "work-life balance" It should be "life-work balance" with the priority placed first. My last 17 years of work, I was a contractor so didn't have to worry about promotion, so-called "status" associating with colleagues outside work hours (unless I actually liked them). All I did was go to work, do the best job I could manage and leave on time. By the time I was 200 metres down the road, I forgot about it until next day and got on with my priorities. So, when I retired, 13 years ago, I was used to making plans for the one person who really matters and I've never looked back. If you've got intelligence, hobbies and are inquisitive which @simon43 I'm pretty sure describes you, you'll start to wonder how you ever had the time to go to work. That was a cliché which I used to doubt - no more. Now I have to prioritise my hours so as to fit in all the things I want to do. Of course that doesn't answer your main question...where to spend your time. IMO if you're single, like me, only you can decide that, based on what you like doing, what you can afford, your choice of climate, your health and probably 100 other factors known only to you. Good Luck 🙏🏻

Lovely answer to a stupid question 👍😂

And that bothers you because? I'll take my business elsewhere.. BUT I said "Always remember that tips are for you to give when you feel it appropriate, " If I'm going to a restaurant regularly, chances are I like the service enough to WANT to tip. If it's not that good, I won't be returning anyway.

Assuming you mean at SUV that's odd - my last 2 trips I've just put the carry-on on the belt and walked through the body scanner

So? That's their problem, not one that should cause the customers to address. Now, if you get especially good service and feel generous, then it becomes "up to you"...see my post immediately above.

2 rules: Always remember that tips are for you to give when you feel it appropriate, never for them to expect. Ignore advice from Americans on the subject - their tipping culture is outrageous and it's poisoned their outlook on the subject

Agree about "Snooky". There is a thread here somewhere from a guy who posted before (the Chinese invasion) and after pictures. I was last there in 2011 and I am horrified at what has happened to the place. There was even a pic showing the signboard of the place I used to stay (Beach Club) on a rubbish tip so that had been bulldozed! Sorry to be racist but where the Chinese go, uncontrolled development and destruction seem to follow!

It's not the 100ml limit that is changing, it's having to show your containers separately and not just putting them in your carry-on bag. "Passengers can carry multiple containers if the total volume remains under 1 litre, all enclosed in a single, transparent, re-sealable plastic bag. This bag must be presented separately during security checks but does not count as part of hand luggage." As others have said, other countries are relaxing the rules, Thailand goes the opposite way.

Indeed. When I got my basic PADI Open Water certificate, I thought I was "good to go". Then a friend who was a DM, Instructor and former professional diver took me into a wreck. It was then that I found that my buoyancy control was very far from perfect! If I'd had a camera to manage as well, even in open water, I'd have been a positive liability! I was at the stage where, yes I was qualified but needed a lot more experience to call my self competent. A bit like driving a car - you pass your test, then learn to drive alone on busy roads.

That was exactly my thought! Last time I flew from LGW to BKK (Feb 2025) there was no need to keep liquids etc in a bag and show them separately as before. Apparently, the scanners have been improved and this is no longer necessary as it was as recently as last year. Thailand, however moves in the opposite direction.... TIT with its wonders to behold 🙄😎 UPDATE @blackcab mentions that the rules at LHR are the same as at LGW these days - wasn't always the case (pardon the pun)

You may be right - pretty ineffective though. I'd still like to see "who posts what" as it once was.

As a Brit, I agree with that and also with @richard_smith237 posts above. You mentioned language and I think it's worth pointing out that because this is an English-language forum there is always likely to be a bias, conscious or otherwise to issues involving Brits. I'd add that, as a Brit, I'm frequently ashamed of my fellow countrymen's action in Thailand and often just avoid them. As I can speak a little Thai, I can usually get away with pretending I don't speak English when in bars etc. And, as for this Martin idiot, involvement with drugs, whilst on an expired visa, he deserves whatever the Thais do with him (IMO, of course)

Thanks @Rimmer There appear to be people who were constantly "confused" by posts on here. I do notice that confused has been replaced with the thumbs down emoji. Wouldn't it be good if one could see WHO posted emojis, as I believe it used to be?

It's not unusual 🙄😊

Spot on - ignore all these killjoys saying they've got "mental health issues" or they're "gormlesss" Lighten up oh humourless ones - It's called "having fun", harms nobody and gives a few people a laugh. 😁😂😎

No...just those driving erratically. Oh hang on...TIT

Wrong! Speeding and abrupt lane changes are human errors - poor visibility is not, but in poor visibility, one should lower one's speed even more. Pedantic, I do realise. 🙄

Sir Humphrey Appleby is alive and well and living in Thailand 😁 https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/14284050-the-complete-yes-minister

This whole issue could have been avoided by purchasers doing their "due diligence" In the 90s, I was offered a property on Phuket which was allegedly covered by a 30 year "renewable" lease, i.e. when 30 years had passed I could renew with no problem. I asked the following questions: Is this guaranteed in Thai law? Show me the law Can you assure me in writing that when I renew, I will pay the same for the second 30 years as I did for the first? If not, is the price of the renewal set out at the start of the lease? I also looked around for a lawyer whom I could be certain was independent and insured against malpractice. I'm sure we can all imagine the responses I received! One of those responses was that the seller stopped talking to me - that was the only positive outcome! Now, 30 years later, approaching the age of 70, and desiring security of tenure, I'm rather pleased that I didn't buy!

IMO It's caused partly by nature (consider the Ice Ages millennia ago) and partly by humans (consider the effects of such things as CFCs on the Ozone layer). BUT...humans are exacerbating what nature does, thereby modifying the effects, so from that perspective I disagree with you.