Dirk Z

I received an e-mail from VISA notifying me of fraudulent use of my credit card before I even noticed it myself. They blocked the card, will send a new one and reimburse the fraud. In the app I saw it was € 80 of Uber rides in Dubai (where I had not been). Great service. Booking.com controls many online services: Agoda, Hotels.com, Rentalcars and maybe more. I think it is impossible to find a 100% safe service, but it looks like the credit card companies are alert and you always have to be alert yourself when you get e-mails about financial issues.

Thank you for your understanding. Much appreciated. But I was not only talking for myself but for many colleagues I know.

Maybe I am a bit sensitive about this. In my professional life I have had to do with terminal patients and voluntary death. I remember it as a very sensitive and emotional procedure for all concerned. But in my opinion it does involve a careful deliberation of the patient him/herself and a free choice. Putting an animal out of its misery comes nowhere near. But if, as some seem to do, you just mean a kind way of causing death then OK, but as I said it has very different implications for me and I cannot use the term without that.

That is correct, the killing of a patient. But it's not done just like that but covered with an extensive and careful procedure. And it always requires the wish and consent of the patient. That is just my point.

Let us please not use the word euthanasia here. Euthanasia is a specified process with a written letter of intention, a second opinion etc. It is called putting down, ending life, whatever, put also not "putting to sleep" if waking up is not the intended outcome.

The panel has 80.000 members and therefore 80.000 potential votes. In reality only a small number actually votes. And the panel consists of self-applied voters, those interested enough to participate and having some online skills. The group is not representative of the population as a whole.

Please don't spread fake news. The numbers for criminal offenses have gone down over the past ten years: 2013 1.105.565 2014 1.025.630 2015 978.945 2016 930.325 2017 832.950 2018 786.420 2019 821.905 2020 813.150 2021* 757.795 2022* 806.210 (source: https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/cijfers/detail/83723NED)

His party is by far the biggest so by tradition he is now in the lead to form a government. Even though his party is the biggest, it is not big by historical standards. With 23% he is very dependent on at least two other parties, one of which has already declared that they will not join his government but will support measures that are in line with their ideas. But that a cabinet with right wing policy will eventually be formed seems the logic result of these elections.

Spontaneous movement will not lead to dislocation, I am referring to manipulation.

He is totally right. This is dangerous and irresponsible practice. I have seen trouble up to quadriplegia as a result of this.

500 euro notes are preferably used by criminals. I have never had one in my hand and indeed the bank no longer prints them.

In Dutch "mooi" means nice or beautiful. The word is very often used, especially when looking at items in a shop or a market. Gives some reactions at times.

30 years ago.... seems not state of the art...

Over the years I have acquired quite a good insight into the Thai medical system. This regards both large and private or less big hospitals both in the cities or in more remote areas. One of the big differences is that the business model of a hospital regarding income is not based on a fee for the doctor but on testing and selling drugs. I have also travelled a lot and seen hospitals and doctors work in other countries. The approach to counselling a patient and choosing for the optimal therapy is in by far the most cases based on genuine belief that it is best for the patient and I do not think that ethical standards for Thai doctors are very much different of those elsewhere. But it is true that in Thailand there is much emphasis on doing testing, which is often not really wrong but also often not really necessary. I have advised a number of patients here and done some second opinions where it comes into my area of expertise and can only say that the quality of treatments advised and performed are very standard. In one special case of a very complicated condition it was actually world-class treatment.

In my experience if there is a better method you will also want to use it. That's what continuous education is for.

I don't think you can generally state this. As someone with some insight (MD) I can agree that you can have a preference for a certain technique, but if you run into a condition for which it is not suitable you would refer. And also some conditions can adequately be dealt with in different ways. And finally, you can always go for a second opinion. But my main point is not to seek advice here.

Here we go again with all the amateur expert opinions. Don't seek advice here but go and see an experienced urologist. His office is where your problem belongs and is best taken care of.

At the Rock Pub, just next to Ratchthewi BTS I found a terrific band called Mundee. They play on Tuesdays at 10pm, but not every Tuesday, so check the social media. Another nice rock band is Plaztyk, they play every Wednesday at 10pm and Friday very late at Shenannigans in Silom. You can see what both bands are like on my YouTube channel realiszt1. On the same channel you can see other bands and venues although some have changed or closed in the meantime. Check for the date.

Thank you for this and your message is certainly helpful. It takes some "creative" reading but indeed you can understand the message in a way that they will start the process in the time window of 60 days. In our case that begins on 6 November. We'll wait and see.

Thanks for this, but I re-visited the website and it says: You must apply for an e-Visa at least 1 month before your intended travel date BUT no longer than 2 months because most visas have 60 - 90 days' validity starting from the date of issuance. So it looks like we were to early (90 days!) and the somewhat awkwardly formulated message simply means that they will reconsider the application within this 60 days winsow. This starts at 6 November.

I can't help with the issues of the OP, but I understood that the question was also about any issues at all, so I was just trying to get it broader.

I am helping my sister to get an e-visa in The Netherlands. On 18 October we filed the application and uploaded the required extra documents: flight booking, bank statement (screenshot of the bank app), hotel reservation and proof of address (some official letter with the address on it). On 27 October she got an email with header "Request for further document" and this message: This application is on hold. Your application will be re-considered again within 60 days from your arrival date. Also a link to the conditions, but that did not explain anything. From the header you would assume that they will contact you about the documents, but that has not yet happened. On the website under Check Status I can see that they are checking documents, last activity 26 October. I have no idea where we stand now. Of course she can still travel, get permission for 30 days and then go for an extension, but she paid 35 euros and now has neither a visa or a rejection.

In BKK the nicest rooftop bars have become very noisy with stuff coming out of loudspeakers that I hesitate to call music. Sofitel on Sukhumvit near soi 13 is a nice exception with good Belgian beers.

I think you are looking for a real and serious answer. It depends on what you are looking for. Shopping? Bars (what kind)? Live music? Restaurants? There is a lot of everything going on, I live in the middle of it and thoroughly enjoy it.

My meter shows both values. I'm aware of the issues and living in BKK is by choice. And I'm also old enough that the reduction of survival id not that relevant anymore. Same goes for drinking beer.