JensenZ

The biggest problem I see is that reporters like to post passport photos of the recently deceased. Someone should put an end that - it's just not right.

One could also argue that the destination which gets the most browsing activity is also the most popular.

Why "must it be vitual tourists"? You can't believe Bangkok is popular. Pattaya is popular because it offers incredible deals.

Thai people keep all types of animals as pets: eg. rabbits, guinea pigs, snakes, rats, mice... the list goes on. "animals" will cover most of them with the exception of insects and other invertibrates.

Did you manage a 10.09s 100m sprint? I have no doubt he'll find a good coach and have the necessary motivation to continue. How do you think he reached 10.09 in the first place? At 16, at 10.09s, he's already famous and a household name among the athletic community. The 100m is a gold ribbon event that makes people famous. He's going to let that go? It's already money in the bank.

I'm reading this forum on a 2010 Sony Vaio. I recently thew away a 2009 Compac laptop. Our 2011 MacBook Air has just gone beyond repair with a display sceen and battery problem that wouldn't be worth reparing. My main PC serves me fine, of 2010 vintage. I have some newer equipment too, but old laptops can serve you well depending on what you need them for. On average, a computer will serve me for over 10 years. The old machines do get some upgrades along the way and I also pull them apart and give them a good clean, and some fresh thermal paste.

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Heavy marijuana can be dectected up to 30 days after last consumption. You'll need to define "drugs" and "do". Its no more a drug in Thailand than tabacco or alcohol.

Not really. Masks do help to slow the spread of germs, especially when people cough and sneeze. Maybe not full protection, but it definitely helps to keep the air around me cleaner.

Really? - all this nonsense about "anti-maskers". When masks were compulsory, I wore them, now that they are not, I don't. I obey the law, not your distored idea of ethics.

You mention food areas. It's quite silly really, because everyone in a food area that is eating will not be wearing a mask, unless they invented some way to keep the mask on while eating. All the Thai people wearing masks would have spread covid (if they had it) while they were eating. I would suggest that people who are really concerned about dying of covid stay at home for another year or so. In the meanwhile, if you are still wearning a mask in public places, I thank you for your service in keeping the environment cleaner for us non-maskers.

It has long been established that covid-19 does not infect people who are sitting down in restaurants. (...I jest)

I see Thai people (still) sitting on their own at the top of Chaloem-Phrakiat park, at 9pm at night wearing masks. The park is very quiet at that time of night. If that's not irrational fear, I don't know what is.

I'm also not wearing masks anywhere I don't have to. There is currently no mandate, so live with it. One office had a sign, "no mask - no entry" and I wore one at the immigration office last week.

My landlord is German and he got amazing bargains for some condos at the start of Covid. IMO he scored the best real estate deals in Pattaya - a case of being in the right place at the right time. His builder is German. He does a great job. I don't know how much he pays, but it's very good work and a good investment provided you get the condos at a good price. He lives in one and any rental return is secondary to the capital gains.

I rent, but my landlord gets full condo renovations (to the shell) done perfectly. The trick is to find a foreigner who supervises all the work (and does some too). Same with air conditioning - a foreigner with a team of Thais doing the work under his supervision. Any other way and you'll end up tearing your hair out. It costs a lot more this way, but it's better to pay more for a good job done once only. Communication is the big problem, so it's better to leave that to a professional.