JensenZ

This is never a problem in most stores (7-Elevens etc). They input the money you give them, including odd coins and the till calculates the change to give you. No one gets confused. I often do this to round out the change.

I never use cash in supermarkets in Thailand.

Sounds like an exaggeration to me. On the 280km return trip to Bangkok yesterday, and in Bangkok, I did not witness a single accident over 2 days. That's a lot more traffic than on your horror trips to Hua Hin... however, most of the reported accidents would be motorcycles, and riding among countless thousands of them every day, I don't witness accidents as often as you would expect... over nearly 20 years.

I'd like a dash of heroin with my Ovaltine please - to go!

Statistically, the road carnage in Thailand seems high, but you know the saying "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics". For statistics to be meaningful, there needs to be a detailed analysis considering all factors... I read that north of 90% of Thai people use motorcycles, which leads to questions: What percentage of reported accidents, injuries, and fatalities involve motorcycles? What percentage of accidents involve public transport? What percentage involve motor vehicles? Considering how many motorcycles are on the road, there wouldn't be many countries that could compete other than some other Asian countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. Comparisons with Western nations are irrelevant. Having ridden motorcycles around Pattaya for nearly 20 years as my sole form of transport, it has always surprised me how few accidents I have witnessed firsthand. I would expect a lot more considering how many motorcycles are using the roads, and the number has increased a lot since I first came here. I rode 11 km today in peak traffic in Bangkok on a bike taxi without a helmet and felt quite safe. I think overall, the riders are more skilled than we give them credit for.

I've never used the seatbelts on this coach line. I'll be taking the bus from Bangkok to Pattaya later today and will check if the seatbelts are in working order. I use this bus line several times a year - it will be interesting to see if any procedures have changed since the crash this week. I'm in my hotel room freaking out and praying I won't die today on this treacherous bus route. I was going to take a taxi but my wife wants to take the bus. I'm willing to take the risk.

Yes, for sure you better buckle up next time (or try). These buses make 22,235 trips a year and as far I know, first crash in decades. That's about 3.2 million km or 55,662 hours on the road per year. There's a good chance you might be in the next smash. In reality, I believe this bus company provides the safest transport between Pattaya and Bangkok. It's safer than driving yourself or taking a taxi.

Don't be ridiculous. The only obvious reason is he had a lapse in concentration or he dozed off. He's human - and humans make mistakes. He has probably safely transported passengers on this route multiple times per day for years. Accidents happen - the first one I've ever heard of on this route.

Yes, overreaction to one bus crash, the first for this coach line at least since I've been here in 20 years... AND, some minor injuries and no fatalities... and the first on this route including all coach lines between Pattaya and Bangkok. Every time someone dies or has a motorcycle crash, we get the same reaction from forum members, yet I've never seen any comparison of motorcycle accident statistics between Pattaya vs a city in a Western nation. It can't be done because there are no cities in any Western nation with even a fraction of the motorcycles in Pattaya.

No, it was the Ekkamai to Pattaya route.

Yet another typical forum knee-jerk overreaction to one single bus crash of the Roong Reuang coach line on the Bangkok-Pattaya route that I've ever heard of in 20 years here... and no one died. This coach company runs 61 trips a day between Bangkok and Pattaya, so 22,265 trips per year. This is only one of many other coach lines running between Pattaya and Bangkok. I often take this bus and have been impressed with how good and professional the drivers are. One single no-fatalities accident from well over 1 million trips over the years, and now, after this crash there's a high chance you might die if you take this bus. How many forum members dare to get out of bed in the morning, never mind driving anywhere, is beyond me. I will continue, unfazed, to use this bus line, fairly confident I won't die. After this accident, they will be even safer. Roong Reuang Coach

It's ambiguous, because "next time need apply non-immigrant visa" doesn't mean this METV is not still valid for entries until its expiry date in April unless it was canceled.

In reality, you didn't reverse your diabetes but just improved your blood sugar numbers. This can be done by most people in the early stages of type 2 diabetes, but it's important to know it's not a cure, and constant monitoring of blood sugar is still recommended.

Of course that takes some research, but I believe there are many reputable brands out there, brands with reputations that go back 50 years or longer. Solgar, for example, has been making supplements since 1947. I have no doubt their products are very good. Blackmores Australia was founded in 1932. I'm sure they won't risk their reputation by producing junk. I find them a bit expensive, but buy the multivitamin "active" for my wife. They have a good range available in Thailand if you have deep pockets and don't mind splashing out and prefer to buy locally rather than online. I would feel confident about the quality of their products.

I'd say very few people get all they need from their diet. Perhaps some very fanatical people might manage, but the effort would be enormous and far too much (and expensive) for the average person. It would be a full-time job trying to prepare such a diet. It's very unlikely you even know what you need, let alone find food to provide it all. A powerful (high-quality) multivitamin and mineral capsule is a good starting point for most people, but Centrum is not a good one and is way overpriced. There is no such supplement available in Thailand so you will need to comb the Internet and import one. Getting sufficient minerals from your diet is even more problematic. For example, you're not going to get enough elemental boron as it doesn't exist in sufficient quantities in the soil of most countries. Countries with sufficient boron in their soil have a low prevalence of arthritis (the drug companies do not like this information getting out). When it became known that boron (in the form of borax) could cure or diminish the symptoms of arthritis (in Western Australia), they outlawed the prescription of borax (in the 1970s) to patients. My recommendation to the OP is to experiment with other formulas. It could be a tablet filler that is causing an allergic response. Check out iHerb as they have a vast selection of multivitamins and don't forget the minerals. Some vitamin/mineral manufacturers produce tablets especially for sensitive people who are prone to allergic reactions to many compounds. On iHerb, if you order more than $40 worth, you get free shipping. This week there is a 24% site-wide discount AND free shipping.

You're not. Reminder to self - don't reply to this idiot.

This guy is not an American (Australian), but I do know things have changed quite a bit since I cruised 38 states of the USA between 1996 and 1998. It was an amazing place to visit, and I spent nearly a year there over the 3 years. I bought a Chevy Blazer and drove 25,000 miles from Key West for a full circuit of the country and back to Key West in 1996, from May to December. Best time I've ever had. Lots of cruising music was blasted LOL.

Great! (that you listened despite my opinion that you didn't). I don't want to listen to your dreadful song as it came out 4 months after my father died in 1979. Music has a powerful link to the past.

You didn't listen - cruising music with a solid beat. Here's another example... Sunlight Project - Antigua

I really enjoy living in my rented condo, so the sacrifice was worth it. I used to blast a bit in my last place - a townhouse with no neighbours, but then a Thai woman moved next door and pretended to care about loud music. It's a bit strange - Thai people complaining about loud music in Pattaya, a stone's throw from Walking Street, hence my comment "pretended to care". Back in my not-so-distant blasting days, I began to enjoy progressive house music turned up to a reasonable volume. A bit different from my early days with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and so on... Sunlight Project - La Marea (have a listen - you might enjoy it too)

Due to living in a condo, blasting music is off the menu.

It might not be ideal for people who receive a lot of phone calls, but my phone is on silent 24/7 unless I'm expecting a call. People can message me on multiple apps if they need my attention.

It seems that on every thread someone finds a reason to talk about Trump. We could talk about the price of milk and someone will mention Trump LOL

Considering the $25 ADR (14-day) of gold, which is about an 850 baht range, and roughly 420 baht per half ounce (15.16g of 96.5% purity), they cannot constantly adjust the price too frequently. Here is my go-to site for the price in Thailand: https://www.gcap.co.th/gcapgold/home.php I always check there before buying or selling. I bookmarked your site too - good to have a few.

Well done! You have a 50/50 chance of being right.