isaanistical

I'm sure the brown envelope(s) are more significant than the statue, but... Has he ever tried the Savannakhet to Mukdahan journey? A full day with native bearers and immigration, for Thais too. Absurd to compare it with central Europe. A much quicker and simpler route is to fly to Nakhon Panom and drive the 100km. But there's no money - sorry, kudos - in that, is there?

or a classic test-match radio commentary, West Indies v England: "The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey"

Exactly what I was about to say. There used to be something called the World Meteorological Society or some such conclave of scientists, whose chart had BKK down as the hottest capital in the world, based on its year-round mean temps (rather than outright maximum temp). May or may not be true, but nowadays all we get are the sort of hysterical "news" items like the above, or like any time a typhoon or cyclone forms, usually written by kid reporters who have never experienced anything. It's late April in SE Asia. Why would it not be hot???

so save and send as .doc or .docx or whatever you would have sent in MS. Ditto in the spreadsheet. have not had that problem in all the time with Libre. I've used the powerpoint clone too, no problems with compatibility. As for setting up (mentioned above), what I did was copy an existing file as a template or master or something, and then work from that.

I have used Libre Office (https://libreoffice.org/) for 10 years, used to use Open Office, both ok, both compatible with MS files, both open-source and legally free. Never quite saw the point of microsoft.....

I have just done it and got into "Teams" - I am currently in BKK. Did a test call and that worked, but there is no mention visible of where my Skype credit (approxEUR26) has gone, how much they have already stolen or how I can use it. Why am I not surprised........

Just looked at CALILO, apparently VOIP and virtual numbers. Got as far as pricing when I read: "You are agreeing to receive marketing and sales communications, like promotional emails, messages, and calls, from Calilio. Call rates may apply." Makes Msoft look almost moral................

Skype was fine - that's why Msoft mess with it, it's in their DNA. Best of all was the number rental worldwide. I quite like the "fanytel" option cos of the name, but turns out it's only US/Canada and England numbers, which is no use if you run business in places like Europe. In my case I'm talking only a couple of calls a year, likewise calling from Skype is used only for emergencies, but that's just when you don't want to be fa*ting around trying to buy credits. Seems like Mytello is the way to go for landlines (inc banks) but over several threads on AN, no-one seems to have solved the imponderable of renting a number in most countries. Would love to hear I am wrong!

But most of us couldn't give a 4X.

like throwing sausages up the Dartford Tunnel.....

Hardly any of the 'alternatives' to Skype enable Skype's basic advantage: calls to landlines worldwide. Like many here, I have a sub and rarely use it, but I also have several Skype numbers - with annual sub - that enable me to be "based" in other cities so someone calling me from (eg) Melbourne thinks it's just a local call. Does anyone have any serious ideas for an alternative to these numbers? Would appreciate constructive suggestions.

I have had good results a cople of times when having to use a Samsung service centre (in Indonesia and in Malaysia). Now my S21 fe has succumbed to the dreaded thin vertical lines on the screen, so I thought I would check with local "customer service" (in Paknam) before the next step of a factory reset - or taking a hammer to it. Place is empty save for 3 staff, who make me take a queue ticket before they will talk to me. Not a good look........ I show the phone screen, they immediately go "oh, that. B7,000, you have to go to a mall (?no idea what that meant), and parts take a long time to come." Clearly could not give a ****. A Thai shrug that meant "just go away and leave us alone". This is an issue affecting many thousands of customers globally, who appear to have a problem with Amoled screens around the 2-year mark. Samsung can't be a#sedto find a fix and their local "service " "personnel" are a disgrace. I've been on Samsung for decades but tomorrow, I'm off to find any sub-B7,000 phone (even a Chinese one) that might work. Samsung can stick it in the appropriate orifice.

But this time it's PAO elections at the weekend. As it happens, the air-quality indices are showing greater BKK as worse affected than the rest of the country by the filthy air, so there is some sense in it. What the ###, it's a free week's transport. I'm going to explore all the new lines I've never been on. Khlong Bang Phai here we come!

OFF. Bright orange spray can, get it in Big C, Tops etc, plenty of deet, works for me.

Earlier than that, too. A race had been planned for December 1939, but other things interrupted it. See: https://jaapgrolleman.com/driver-spotlight-the-prince-in-blue/ "Bira also planned to organise a race in his homeland, Thailand, and the inaugural Bangkok Grand Prix was set to be held on the 10th of December 1939, but the war equally destroyed those plans."

Advisor seeks advice.... I sympathise. Given you have plenty of time to arrange something, how about 1. take said partner to IO (although I don't know where your IO is) and go through the problem with the officers. We all know they tend to be strict, but at this early stage of your year, it's go to be worth a try. 2. what about marryng the partner? You may recoil, but it would certainly get you off the hook (400k for marriage jobbie) - and it does seem she owes you big-time right now.

Indeed. Long time since I saw wooden clothes-pegs.......

First time I went was a week after the tsunami - just wonderful, idyllic, except, of course, for a few terrible parts of the west. Nowadays, I wouldn't cross the street to go there.

No, give him credit: he wants all visa-holders to enter via Phuket, so we avoid the B300 and Phuket gets more - er - tourists........

as I said, no alternative was offered

I have a yahoo.com email address which I rarely use. Yesterday, on starting the PC (I get email via Thunderbird, but it appears to be the same if I go direct to yahoo's site), I got a new message from Yahoo demanding I sign in again, and wanting to send a verification code – to a phone number that finished years ago. No alternative is offered. This email is important only because it's the one I use for Immigration TM47s, etc, (and previously also Lazada, but I have the same view of Lazada as of Immigration, so…). Otherwise I could dispense with it and yahoo. Is there something up with yahoo? Is there a known way round not having the requisite phone number? And why are they so d@mn obstructive for no apparent reason?

sorry but I flat-out don't believe this. I have just staggered back from a round-trip requiring 3 of the routes, each way, buying tickets, and NOWHERE is there any hint of a joint card. Details, perhaps? Or is it only availabe in Pattaya......

Well I bought beer in BigC on Monday and we ate and drank at a restaurant (though not in anyone's 'honour'). Monday was not a booze-ban day at all. As for tomorrow, I was grateful for the warning because these things catch me out. If I know in advance, I don't have to get annoyed. Or impugn someone else's culture. "Exclude farangs"? Seriously? You just arrived or something?

with more of a head on it, although that's just from the pollution.

yeah. Apart from the US, it's the only place people need to be told the difference between beer and rainwater…..