RayOday

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.

I have been tracking the AQI for Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Huahin, Trang, Trat, Samui, and Songkhla for the month of Dec. and Jan. YTD and Bangkok has been consistently worse than Chiang Mai. Let's see if and when the ranking flips. I have empathy for the poor folks in Delhi, Dhaka, Karachi, and Lahore at over 200 AQI. All readings taken from IQair's daily website rankings or search.

I like Mae Hong Son province with the exception of Pai, although Pai does have the best quality weed. MHS city is one of the cheapest places and has the most friendly people I have met in Thailand. Many of the locals speak English. The problem with the North is the smoke burning season. There are nice mountain areas and quite rural zones in Trang province with close access to beaches and good food. Sichon and Khanom are like Samui years ago but they are on social media a lot so tourist are soon to follow. You may want to check out Substack writers for ideas. Couchfish - Stuart McDonald Thai Island Quest - David Leukens

My response does not directly answer your question. It is solely to provide an alternative if it is appropriate for you. I am missing 2 lumbar disks and have spinal stenosis. I stay physically fit so I can manage through most periods of inflammation and can arrest inflammation with the proper natural rest, stretching, topical protocols. I don't like to take drugs that can have serious side effects or stress to the kidneys or liver. There are a few times per year where medicine is required and my first line anti inflammatory is Celoxicib aka Celebrex. It is sold in Thailand as a much cheaper generic. A popular brands is Zobrex. I only mention this alternative since you are looking for an NSAID+PPI. Celebrex (celecoxib) is a selective COX-2 inhibitor, which means it primarily blocks the COX-2 enzyme responsible for pain and inflammation while sparing COX-1, which protects the stomach lining. This selectivity reduces the risk of gastrointestinal side effects, such as upset stomach, compared to non-selective NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen that inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2. All NSAIDS can interact with other meds you may be taking. Check the interaction checker on drugs.com. Be safe.

The number of failures on this project is criminal. I don't know how the ministers can have any face left. They should all be held accountable in a criminal proceeding. The problem is that the Thai Supreme Court has proven themselves to be a sham hence the government proceeds like processionary caterpillars with the head of the first attached to the ass of the last. I worked as an industrial engineer specifying billions of USD construction projects. I worked closely alongside civil engineering project managers. In 24 years we never had a fatality. Why? Exceptionally strong processes which drove cost in some areas yet the efficiency more than recouped the cost. Forget the cost. We were dealing with human lives. I have compared the stats from the rebuilding of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge and the collapse of the elevated Eisenhower expressway onto the lower section after the Loma Prieta earthquake. 6 people died as a result of injury. Note the project was significantly more complex given aftershocks and fault lines and was completed in ~ 2 years. I also looked at the building of the Taipei elevated motorway. The project was ~ 88 kilometers in length, with significant complexity due to the geological conditions of the Taipei's lakebed, the high seismic activity and far stronger construction standards and materials. The project took 10 years and had the complexity of Taiwanese, Japanese, and Norwegian engineers and construction firms working together. The idea was to give the Taiwanese firms experience in these types of complex infrastructure projects. There were a few fatalities yet not as many when compared to the lower complexity of the construction of Rama 2. This indicates the there appears to be extraordinarily poor oversight at the levels of ministry,engineering, project management, and on sight management. This is a total failure on a critical piece of Bangkok's infrastructure. Once again the hierarchial nature of Thai management delegates without leaving the office except for police escorts to sights for selfies indicating involvement. It begs the question "Are you incompetent or corrupt". The vice PM Anutin is a civil engineer. What do you have to say Mr. Vice PM? All management should get their butts out of the office and on the street 24/7. The public deserves an honest Failure Mode Analysis and Corrective Action Plan prior to commencing further activities. My condolences and best wishes to the victims and families of a clear abdication of public management.

Spoken like a true wannabe authoritarian who desires total control. Central banks should be non-partisan.