VBF

Agreed but the OVER reaction world wide was astoundingly stupid when you consider that the people most at risk of severe reaction to Covid are known and WERE known to be a small group. They made up most of the millions. Most healthy people who got Covid (myself included) just recovered and carried on. When you look at that, you can (almost) start to believe some of the conspiracies! The current repercussions of lockdowns etc are more severe than what letting nature take its course would have been. I await the flames and mock horror at my lack of concern for human life!

Just my take on this: Booking sites are agents of a sort. They have to make commission, the airlines do not automatically give them preferential prices so their "commission" comes from the end user (customer) What they do do is to give the busy (or lazy) customers a comparison that doesn't involve looking at loads of websites. So a convenience benefit. There's nothing to stop you finding the cheapest flight on a comparison site, THEN going direct to the airline to compare there. Booking sites have taken the place of travel agents in the modern world, but at least with TAs you could negotiate with a person. This is similar to car insurance (in UK anyway). I used a couple of comparison sites, found the best price, THEN went directly to the same insurance company and got another 5% off the best price. It was time-consuming but that didn't matter. My personal opinion is that all agents are basically leeches, whether they be travel, employment or estate (realtors to US readers) They do little that one cannot do for oneself, if one has the time.

Fig leaf 🙄😆 (Sorry, Crossy 😞)

I just completed this quiz. My Score 90/100 My Time 87 seconds  

Thank you for posting that image from the website of the Thai embassy in London, UK. I see they were in the habit of posting false information already in 2019, possibly even earlier. I wonder how the people at that embassy get selected for their jobs. Edited 14 hours ago by Puccini Indeed - following that link today, that is STILL what the London Embassy site shows ie 30 days having not been updated since August 2019 BUT.....if you STAY on the London Embassy site and navigate to "Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme" and press this button: you will end up at https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/exemp-visa There you will see: So how the hell does a prospective tourist have a clue?

Ouch!!🥺

Thanks 👍

Another one that took me a good 20 seconds to get. 🤔 You're not Scottish are you @oxo1947 ? 😆

That's confusing. Central sits between 2nd and Beach roads. Night Market is opposite Central on 2nd Road and indirectly backs on to Buakhao. Is that where you mean? I did a quick search on Pattaya News but cannot find the article - do you have a link?

I can see the attraction of that once or twice, getting to see different parts of Thailand, but does it not become tedious after a few trips, especially in the rainy months?

I wouldn't put it quite as bluntly as that, but I do, in principle, agree with you. I abandoned my plans to move to Thailand some years ago basically because of the numerous changes to rules and regulations over which I have no control. The older one gets, the more difficult it gets to contend with these changes.

That one interests me too. Also, what are the airlines going to do if you turn up at check-in without either a visa or a return ticket?

I think I know a taxi driver like that! 😮😂

I see what you mean....

Not necessarily! Just because the street is one way, doesn't stop 2 trucks parking opposite each other. The only difference would be that they'd both be facing the same direction........being Thailand even that isn't guaranteed! 😲

I think it was George Burns who said "If I'd known i was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself" More to the point, being old is relative - age 40, you're old to a teenager, age 50 you're young to a 70 year old. It's like being tall or short, fat or thin, you are what you are. A lot of it is perception. To answer the OP directly - No, I'm not enough of a snowflake to give a damn. Signed VBF - a short fat old git most of the time but a handsome young man in Pattaya. 🤔😂🤣

What the **** took you so long? 😂

Or perhaps prohibit private cars and certainly tour buses entering central Pattaya, and encourage use of Baht buses?

Took me a good 10 seconds! 🙄😞😂

Looking at the pic in the OP, maybe the caption should be...... "There's a hole in the ground, and they're looking into it"😆

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how political elections work 😲

Quite agree - the mere possession of amulets, with a belief that they hold "powers" says something about one's intelligence (or lack of) and a lot more about one's naivety 😮 Like other religious paraphernalia, they are merely decorative!

Geniuses. as a rule, don't ride or drive baht busses on Beach Road! If you know one, let me know! it is thought that the passenger was riding on the platform, not sitting in a seat. If, repeat if that's the case, then he was behaving like an idiot. Similarly if he tried to get off without ringing the bell and waiting for the driver to stop. Pattaya's Baht bus system is brilliant - sometimes people are not!

Whenever I see people standing on the back step and hanging on to a songthaew (Baht bus) I wonder about some idiot driver hitting the BB from behind. I used to hang on the back of these - now i wait for the next one 'cos i'm not usually in a hurry either to get on my journey or to die!

Oh please don't..... Or message me the link if you must. 😆