RayOday

I renewed my 5 year license for another 5 years in Chiang Mai 2 months ago. Less waste hence more efficient. I completed a self-paced online refresher course of the road laws with just a few simple quiz questions. Once completed the program generated a QR dense code to capture on my phone. Went to the land transport office, presented the code of completion, requested documents, and was asked to identify red, amber, green right at the counter then went to a 1 person queue had a license photo taken, received my new license in 5 minutes. While not completely digital it was a significant process improvement. Now what are they actually doing to improve road safety (road deaths per Capita)? Nothing. It appears that the Dept off Land Transport & the police are disconnected. No on road enforcement. I have a China drivers license & lived in China when people drove cars like bicycles (1995). Weaving in and out with no regard for lanes. Then it all changed with the upgrade in national road infrastructure and enforcement, which is key, Quantitative improvements are tracked by the WHO. I am aware of the veracity of China's data yet this concurs with my experience. What did they do? 1. Strictly Enforced Traffic Laws 2. Infrastructure Development 3. Vehicle Safety Standards 4. Public Awareness Campaigns 5. Emergency Response Improvements It can be done IF there is the will and leadership to achieve less carnage. P.S. I have driven from Shanghai to Yunnan and back several times stopping along the way. I also drove 4500 kms in Xinjiang prior to the current nastiness. I feel confident in my assessment of China's road safety improvements.

The key for the Thais is to let the Chinese build it with no Thai involvement. The Chinese build fast with many prefabricated components. They also do not tolerate corruption. I know it sounds like my head is up my ass. I lived in China for +15 years and watched and used the build out of China's incredible high speed rail network. Initially there was corruption under the railroad administration of Liu Zhijun resulting in a crash which killed 40 people. Liu was not directly responsible as railway minister yet was sentenced to a suspended death sentence for allowing corruption. In China a suspended death sentence usually means life in prison. I have taken the high speed railway including the Kunming line and it is excellent and on time. Now in Thailand you have corruption being blamed for the collapse of the new State Audit Office. Fingers point outwardly of course. That's right the government office that audits (integrity) is the office that collapses allegedly due to corruption. Keep the construction and it's components strictly under the Chinese and any failures under their legal system. Most likely impossible in Thailand. P.S. I am no shill for the Chinese. I am aware of the corruption issues. I have 35 years of experience in global supply chains and logistics. 15 of those years in China with a lot of government interface. I initially showed up in China to work on fraud and corruption for foreign companies undertaking Chinese M&A. In dealing with government officials I was never asked for a bribe even in difficult situations. They do have what may be considered ethical lapses with dinners and entertainment. The risk is too high with Xi. Corruption was rife at lower township levels. Then again, as they say in China, "Heaven is high and the emperor is far away"(天高皇帝远)

Thailand irony at it's finest. Thailand's State Audit Office (SAO) collapses due to corrupt practices that weren't audited.

Throw them out and don't let them return. Try that <deleted> in Chinese city. They wouldn't even if they could.

Here are a few locations that don't see too many folks excluding those in China. - Perhentian Islands, Malaysia - Da lat, VN (Don't stop in the Russian colony of Nha Trang. Too many scammers but some good restaurants) - Himchal, Pradesh - Manali, IN - Uttarakhand, IN - Kerala, IN - Pondicherry, IN (Puducherry) - So many beautifully remote. places in the Philippines. Do some homework. https://www.visitmyphilippines.com/destination.html - China travel is too big to cover here. I lived there for 15+ years as a westerner and have been to most provinces and have driven across the country 4x. Yunnan is beautiful as is Sichuan west of Chengdu. Xinjiang is a rough and beautiful area but is probably off limits now. I travelled ~4500 kms there about 15 years ago. Never travel to NChina on a national holiday. I admire the work of a Russian photographer based in Shanghai, Oleg Novikov. Peruse his photos to find the tranquil and beautiful in China. http://olegnovikov.com/index.shtml - Nepal is always cool

A 4 meter python in BKK? What's it been eating?

I love the cynicism of the responses. They are accurate and express the frustration, anger, and point directly to the incompetence of this Mafia state. What's next a photo op of Prawit and civil engineer Charnvirakul operating cranes? "Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (DLPW) and the Institute for the Promotion of Occupational Safety, Health, and Environmental Working Conditions (POSHEC) to devise stringent safety protocols. These measures will target all construction sites nationwide, with a special focus on high-risk areas in Bangkok." This paragraph makes me choke with laughter and then vomit. It's a confession that they don't do the job up front and don't plan to inspect. Too busy with self congratulatory lunches and selfies and fighting over their share of the "commission". These are not public servants. They are more like "The Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight." At one point in my life I was an industrial engineer working closely with civil engineers bringing over 5 billion USD/yr in capital expansions (note: the company generated $95 billion/yr in revenue). I mention this because my perspective is that the Rama 2 issues are due to corruption, incompetence, a lack of concern over human lives, craven interests, and what I call "director mentally", meaning getting their flat asses out of their chairs for more than 1 meeting after a disaster and spending less time with bull<deleted> and more time on the site with engineers, project managers, suppliers, insurance and public safety experts. The mentality of "my level is too high to get involved in the detail", rather than just setting onerous penalties, is a prognostication for more fatal failures. "all things processed in their circle and thus the empire is complete" The Prince, Machiavelli

Corrupt incompetence can't keep the populace alive on Rama 2 so they fiddle around trying to have Formula 1? Ironic that a country that can't enforce road safety wants to host F1. Can the the failures of the public trust, with respect to road transport, be expected to execute an F1 race? If I was a F1 driver I would protest to keep it in a competent location like Singapore. Let them hold the race on Rama 2. Maybe that way they will do something to stop the carnage. (I know, Rama 2 was a failed plan even on paper but since the administration won't acknowledge their complicity then at least try to make it work without killing anymore people).

Groundhog Day

I prefer the trees in Khao Yai

"all things processed in their circle and thus the empire is complete" The Prince, Machiavelli

Whole foods and zero processed foods except an occasional ice cream with my grandson. No booze except a beer probably every other month. I don't stress out over diet but eat mindful of nutrient fortification. Kettlebells daily doing alternate muscle groups a minimum of 4 sets of 15 watching form and tempo. Walking a minimum of 6-10 KMS per day 5 days per week. 4 sets of 50 pushups daily. Watching after a 3 year old 24x7. I am 70 years old.

The irony! Chinese mafias set up scam centers in the most corrupt countries in SE Asia. Countries where they could completely buy the local, and many cases, higher level government officials. Thailand has one foot in the door so if big brother CCP requests help they deliver at some press worthy level. The CCP were finally motivated to act to 1) deflect from other serious export crimes they commit e.g. Fentanyl and it's precursors and 2) the scam centers were getting more greedy than they already were and directed some of their scams towards mainland Chinese as well as fraudulent offers to work as well as kidnapping. The mainland Chinese complained en masse to the Public Security Bureau and the issue taken on by the bosses in Beijing. Its rather damning that it took the mafia to aim at China before China stepped up to work with other countries to get these filthy monsters running. It ain't over yet. Stay frosty.

A mildly amusing story of everyday life on a mototaxi. One nitpicking point. You may be referring to a Lumpini champion but the diminutive Muay Thai fighter that is the GOAT is Saenchai. We all have our near death occurrence on a mototaxi. My life was spared by literally 2 cm when we were almost "T-boned" by a car. The mototaxi was at a red light and properly stopped, so not at fault.

We visit an 84 yr old woman in a small moo ban in Surin Province every other month. All residents burn their garbage. Two moo baans away, approximately 7 km there is garbage pick up. Why isn't there garbage pick up in the woman's moo baan? Because each month at the village meeting garbage pick up comes up for a vote. The majority vote no because it costs 50 baht per month and the people feel it's too expensive. These same people are building new homes, have many rai of productive rice, sugar, and tapioca farms, drive new pick-up trucks, giant TVs, etc. Garbage pick up should not be an option when they are choking on plastic garbage burning. I am sure not everyone can afford 50 baht. I do know that the woman we visit lives in an extremely modest shelter, has no extra money, and still does clothing alterations to feed her cats. She has a 4th grade education. She has always voted yes for garbage pick up. No excuses. The people know the danger. Pick up and plastic recycling is a public health hazard for these people yet they don't care. They need better leaders.