Dirk Z

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.

20 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Here's a good website from the U.S. EPA that easily converts from AQI to particles or from particles to AQI.

 

https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-calculator-concentration/

 

Your level right now is in the mid-range for "moderate" / yellow pollution -- not as good as good "green," but not yet as bad as orange "unhealthy for sensitive" folks...

 

But don't worry, your time will be coming soon!  This is BKK after all.  ????

 

 

 

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.

9 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

1. Lately has been the off/rainy season for smog in Thailand, so levels have been comparatively low... Wait till Dec., Jan. and onward arrive.

 

It also depends on whether the up to 50 value you're mentioning is actually an AQI reading that you call it, or is instead a 50 reading of micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 pollution, which is probably a more common reading used by more air purifiers, since AQI standards can and do vary some by country.

 

But either way, your lungs will be begging for your air purifier by the end of the year and into next year if you're still in central Bangkok then.

 

Here's the various AQI readings for Bangkok as of Sunday night -- almost all of them well above the 50 AQI level:

 

 

http://aqicn.org/station/bangkok

 

And, here's what Bangkok's pollution levels by AQI have looked like over the past several years by month, with the red levels being unhealthy, the orange levels being unhealthy for sensitive groups, the yellow moderate, and the green good.

 

 

AQI=AQI. Particles often around 25. But I will keep checking. And I don't smoke.

2 hours ago, Lorry said:

Palm oil planting is the reason for "the haze" (doesn't it sound cuter than "smog") in Singapore and Malaysia right now, as every year. 

They blame Indonesia. Somehow they forget to mention that the companies burning down Indonesia are often Singapore-owned.

Right, that's when the smog we have now started. Thailand didn't become a sugar producer overnight,  it took a couple of years after the coup 2014.

The smog now is a "haze" of PM 2.5, unlike the bigger particles of the brown smoke of the 90s. PM 2.5 are so small they enter your lungs. They are only filtered out by a N95 mask, a surgical mask, like in the 90s, isn't enough. 

You probably confuse AQI and PM 2.5

Or your meter isn't that good

Do you really believe, when the window is open, the air inside is better than outside?

As said by others,  it does make a big difference. 

Measurable and noticeable,  only very indolent people wouldn't feel the difference. On a bad day, one can view, smell and taste the smog, feel it in the eyes,  the nose and the throat,  and the skin is all sticky,  not from sweat.

Sleep in an air-purified room and then go out!

No I don't confuse AQI and PM 2.5. For the record: the latter number is often around 10.

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

NO!. That's not right. Minoxidil is a proven medication by FDA in case of androgenic alopecia.

As you say, it's a medication and not a standard commercially available shampoo.

Shampoo will not prevent hair loss nor restore it, whatever they make you believe.

Before investing in one of the much promoted air purifiers I wanted to know what the baseline parameters are. I bought a reliable Air Quality Monitor. The AQI has almost never been over 50 inside my room, often having the windows open. A bit to my surprise I must admit, but it seems like an air purifier will not make much improvement. I live in central Bangkok.

17 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

I just did mine online at Jomtien after a return from abroad.  No issues. I guess that consistency is not a thing here 

To their credit I have to say that I found this on a website (https://www.thaiembassy.com/travel-to-thailand/guide-to-thai-immigration-90-day-reporting):

Before you actually use your mobile phone or computer to do the online reporting, there are few things you need to do first:

• This reporting has to be the SECOND 90-day reporting or later on your current visa or visa extension of stay. This is important. You have to report in person or by mail on your current visa or visa extension once in the past before you can do an online report. If you have not done so, please report in person or by mail this time.

It just shows that as you said their is no consistency and they do not always follow their own rules. But actually, that is not a surprise.

The same thing happened to me yesterday. I came back from Europe in July 12th and did an online report within the time frame. I have a valid visa. I have not changed my address. I did the same last year coming back from Europe, from Korea and from Japan. But this time I got the rejection and the request tot report at the immigration. So I went to CW where the lady said that after re-entering the country you need to do a personal report the first time and after that it can be online again. This is totally new for me. Next time by the way I will do online again and just see what happens. They really love to make our live not easy.

In my case it had nothing to do with TM 30, it was not even mentioned.

It proves how wise God is, he made you celibate.

19 hours ago, rumak said:

Do you suggest stretching ? 

As I said, it's trial and error. But it won't hurt. Quit anything that doesn't work after 1-2 weeks.

I am a retired neurosurgeon having done thousands of spinal operations and treatments. Around 40 years of practice have taught me that - unless there is clear-cut pathology, like a herniated disc, a tumor, cyst etc. - a lot of treatments are trial and error with very little evidence to support the effectiveness of one treatment over another. We also know that many conditions have spontaneous remission without specific treatment as my own experience in occasional back pain shows. That means that the last therapist always has the best result because the patient is getting better by himself. We having the saying that "nature takes care of the disease while the doctor/therapist entertains the patient".

As for lumbar epidural: I have seen the best results in acute lumbar pain and varying results in the more chronic forms. But as far as I know there is still no solid evidence for it's effectiveness. It is not easy to set up a study with matching patient groups over a longer period of time.

It's nobody's business. Thaksin is also entitled to privacy regarding his medical history, something that is all too lightly taken in Thai press.

I use Citibank (now UOB) that has no bank books. Also there is no office at the Immigration. If I can make an appointment online I can get the statement when the banks open and easily make it to Chaeng Wattana. If not, I goto the bank  the day before. On the day itself I withdraw a small sum from an ATM machine and attach the slip (which shows the balance) to the document. This has always been accepted.

Great rock music: The Rock (Rachathewi BTS) fantastic band every 2nd Tuesday from 10 pm, next time Tuesday Sep 12th. The other Tuesdays more a metal band. Great rock trio every Wednesday from10.15 pm at Shenannigans, Patpong, Surawong side. The bans at Penny Black, soi Cowboy are quite good, but not specifically rock.

I have started writing reviews for Trip Advisor in 2012 and have contributed over 1000. I always try to give info that I would like to see myself, including e.g. parking, accessibility etc. It has earnt me many "Helpfuls". As for looking for information myself I always read the "excellent" and the "poor" categories. In "poor" you often see some personal irritations, but I try to find the structural issues like construction site next door, bathroom dirty, poor service etc. I also look at how many contributions the reviewer has made. If only one "excellent" review for a new restaurant then you can assume this is staff, friend or relative. So with a critical attitude I think the information on TripAdvisor can still be useful.

1 hour ago, roietfortress said:

have you examined 95% of potheads to determine the accuracy of your statement?

 

how many have arthritis or glaucoma? how many have PTSD? how many use cannabis to reduce stress or get to sleep? how many are just tired of angry farangs on farang boards?

 

stress is the #3 killer behind heart disease and cancer. most doctors prescribe rest and relaxation for stress. many US doctors in free states prescribe cannabis too.

 

your ideas are from the 1960s.

 

#

 

 

You obviously did not live through the sixties....

5 hours ago, 2long said:

And there was me thinking that a cardiologist was a heart doctor, not a lung expert. Well, you live and learn! 

I'm off to see my pulmonologist, to get my ingrown toenail sorted out.

Heart and lung are connected by major vessels and a nervous system. Cardiologists and pulmonoligists have a lot of overlap in their field of expertise, so this cardiologist is perfectly competent to give the opinion he gave.

With a normal balanced diet and an active life style, not having underlying disease, taking vitamins and all sorts of elements and additives is totally unnecessary and possibly harmful. Except for above around 70 years of age maybe the vitamin D, although in Thailand with a daily walk you probably won't even need that (as in my own situation). All these products have benefit only to their manufacturers. In the OP the improvement is clear to most aside from the poster: less drinking and more action. (I am an MD and do know what I am talking about).

Let's not be naive about this whole circus not being minutely planned up to the last detail. It cannot be assumed that Thaksin would come back to spend the rest of his life in a prison. So everything has been cooked and prepared to a deal that is acceptable for both parties. We now see the playing out of the scenario.

On 8/24/2023 at 11:12 AM, 2baht said:

Follow your heart, young fella! 

Better follow your brain. 

To avoid problems I always have photos made without glasses. 

I was recently involved after the death of a country man friend with a partner he had been with for 20 years but no marriage and assets both in Thailand and abroad. With another friend we went through the whole process. 

You need a death certificate, a translation, legalization by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and legalization by your embassy. This goes to the country in question where there should be a will. This will needs to be translated, legalized and sent to Thailand. Then with the help of a local attorney you need to get a court order for the appointment of an heir. The whole process can taker up to 8 months.