OswaldBastable

2 hours ago, 7by7 said:

Are you yet another Brexiteer who believed that we would retain all the benefits of membership without the responsibilities?

Your comment certainly suggests that you are!

We have left the EU and now have to suffer the consequences; get over it!

I'm a staunch remainer, was just about to buy my retirement farm house near Limoges, when Brexit removed my right to live there, and probably any state pension increases if I 'd chosen to push it. My retirement plan is now in ruins.

Just now, Bangkok Barry said:

About a year ago termites brought down part of the ceiling, and instead of spending a small fortune putting up a new one I decided to go industrial modern. I think it works. 

White was better IMHO, looks dark and dingy now.

Just now, Rookiescot said:

Or you could see it as the price you have to pay for not being a member of the EU. Which is more accurate. If it was just the UK subject to these requirements you might have a point but given they apply to ALL non EU countries you dont.

This was all explained and foreseen prior to the referendum but you guys voted for this.  

How much red tape did they put in front of our COVID vaccine? I bet it was nothing like 71 pages per delivery.

12 hours ago, tebee said:

In January Brexit moved from the abstract realm to the concrete world of commerce, and this landed hardest with small businesses that trade with Europe, most particularly food exporters that bore the brunt of new red tape.

They discovered that reclaiming sovereignty was not an abstract concept, but could be measured in the 71-page stack of customs forms needed to shift a single load of fish into the EU; or for Scottish salmon farmers, £11m in losses.

I see the 'red tape' as the EU's way of punishing the UK for leaving.

4 minutes ago, BenDeCosta said:

Anyone reading this thread who has tried to open a bank account in Ubon recently will understand the OP's problems. Please don't post how you just walked in and opened an account with only your passport on a visa exempt entry because it is not helpful. If anyone wants to provide useful input, please tell us when you did this and where you went. If it wasn't in the last few years it won't be helpful because of the extra paperwork now involved in dealing with US citizens because of tax purposes, and the subsequent issues that foreigners will have when dealing with bank staff.

I'm opening an account with Bangkok Bank on Monday, everything prearranged by an agent from the UK, all I have to do is turn up with my passport at the branch near my condo in Pattaya and collect my bank book and debit card. I'm not American which may make a difference, and I'm here on a STV. 

Are there no agents to smooth the process in Ubon?

5 hours ago, placeholder said:

Took a stroll on the boardwalk, did you?

If the sea hasn't risen in the last 60 years, it seems unlikely it will rise in the next 10. Democrat Point, here's an entire state park created by new land in the last 100 years.

Just now, cmarshall said:

You completely missed the point of the story even if your two genetic markers theory is true, which I doubt.  

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/02/black-death-left-mark-human-genome

2 minutes ago, cmarshall said:

I can illustrate this with an example from the 14th century.  The overall die off rate from the Black Death in Europe was between one third and one half of the population, but die off rates varied considerably from place to place.  Milan, however, was spared by the plague.  The reason wasn't because of climate, elevation, genetic makeup of the population, density, or any other likely sounding reason.  Milan was spared because the first two families that contracted the plague were bricked up in their houses and allowed to die within while the city gates were locked.  

I read that it was purely down to two genetic markers, if you had both you didn't catch it, if you had one you would be sick but have a chance of survival, if you had neither you died. All the survivors of the Black Death had genetic immunity, which is why the disease died with it's victims. 

I suspect COVID will be the same, those susceptible will die until only the immune are left.

Just now, Neeranam said:

For sure, I can imagine what Worthing is like now!

Have you thought of living in a place with a nice beach or are you new to Thailand?

You could get a place on Koh Chang for the same price. 

Had to book in advance for 3 months to get the VISA, came here completely ignorant of everything.

But it's got to be better than Worthing with all the pubs and restaurants closed + COVID lockin.

Just now, Neeranam said:

Is the sea still filthy? Is it safe to walk along at night?

Can't answer that as still in BK quarantine, but at 7,000bht/month (175 pounds) it's a bargain compared to my room in a Worthing guesthouse at 200 pounds a week. If the sea is clean enough for me to walk along with my feet in the water, I'll be happy enough. Ask me again on Monday. Never been to a 'gogo', never been to Asia before either.

20 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

True, there are many sexpats that come to Thailand. Obviously there will be a much higher %age in Pattaya, so why live there? Friends, is one reason for me, and golf courses. Anyone who says they live there for the beach, is a liar. 

I've rented an apartment there because the price was good, no large upfront payments required, and it has a swimming pool and gym. I also like walking on a beach, but don't really have any desire to swim in the sea.

I have zero interest in golf or women.

1 hour ago, Eindhoven said:

When someone states "close to the beach", I imagine close to the beach: 

 

I'm OK walking a kilometer or two, I class 'close to the beach' as within easy walking distance.

On 3/16/2021 at 3:42 AM, chrisandsu said:

The only thing that’s really cheaper is the healthcare (everywhere in the world is cheaper then America ) and housing . After that your day to day living expenses are on par and you get much better quality goods in the states compared to Thailand . Speaking as a tourist now (expat before ) Thailand is not cheap . Yes I can get cheap flights to Thailand $8-900 in the off season but who wants to take a holiday to Thailand when it has miserable wet or super hot weather ? Let’s not kid ourselves  most are there for the women if you take that away what does Thailand have ? 

I was paying 200 pounds a week to stay in a guesthouse in Worthing (no facilities, shared bathroom).

I'm paying  175 pounds a month to stay in a condo in Pattaya (en-suite, swimming pool, gym).

Can't really comment about a favourite bar as I'm not out of quarantine for another couple of days (in England the bars were all closed for most of the past year), but looking forward to trying many next week, and a walk on the beach should be nice.

It would have been nice to find a few suggestions for nice bars that are currently open, not sports bars, just somewhere to have a few beers at a reasonable price.

10 hours ago, onebir said:

Didn't they just suspend the AZ vaccine in half the EU???

Yes, they're complaining about not getting enough doses to lock in their fridges.

It would seem a better use of the vaccine to send it to countries that will actually use it. 

38 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Maybe that was the guy's problem, he always had to pay for it.  Perhaps the "addiction" was costing him a bundle and that's what peeved him off.  The dumbsht should have just masturbated. 

Can 21 year old rednecks afford frequent sessions in American massage parlours?

Enough to become sex addicts?

1 hour ago, Gecko123 said:

and the "sexual fetishization of Asian women" by many white men.

I'm not sure that idea really flies.

Most men are attracted to women who might actually agree to have sex with then and don't weigh 200lbs.  The murderer in this case looks like he would not be able to attract women of any kind in the western world. How at age 21, and an obvious INCEL, he could  possibly be treated for 'sex addiction' is not clear to me. Surely in order to be addicted to anything, you must have previously had a lot of whatever you are addicted.

Just now, robblok said:

Strange that when a muslim blows up something or stabs its religion (according to posters but when a white guy kills mainly asians people are thinking of alternative theories. I wonder why. 

If the white guy was shouting "Jesus saves" while shooting the victims, I'd be more likely to agree with you.

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

Oddly the religious affiliation of this killer is being given a wide pass by those amongst us who normally have a lot to say about people professing a religion killing folk.

I don't think many white people kill for religion, most of us superficially identify as Christian, but don't have much in the way of convictions.

19 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Race is one possibility. Or maybe he hates sex workers? Maybe he caught HIV in there? Maybe one or more of the workers is an ex girlfriend? Many the massage parlours have a common owner who he has beef with and is one of the victims?

My immediate thoughts was organised crime and protection money. But after seeing photos of the murderer would include white supremacist nut job. If the motive was predominately anti-Asian you'd think a few restaurants would have been included in the target list.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2021/03/17/atlanta-spa-shootings-illicit-reviews-massage-parlors/4737755001/

Georgia law enforcement has indicated the crime was motivated by sex, not race. But advocates balked at such determinations at this time.

Just now, jak2002003 said:

You have never showered with other men or spoke to them while naked?

Did you never play sports at school or college or go to a public swimming pool?

i always avoided team sports where men get naked together,  I've never been anywhere the swimming pools didn't have individual changing rooms. But if you enjoy it, I won't judge you for your choices.

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

As a general rule, don’t say or do anything to a woman without her consent that you would not want a man to say or do to you in a prison shower room.

I'd prefer not to share a shower with another man, let alone have a conversation with him while both naked.

Consent is also a problem, as consent reported after the event, may not be the same as consent leading up to or during the event. You'd need camera's recording video and audio in the shower with you both to be sure. 

But 'consent' is a bit of a deflection in this thread as I'm certain everyone agrees the unfortunate victim was unlikely to have consented to being abducted and murdered.

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The Brits I know here all say they got out of the UK because of the miserable weather and the influx of immigrants. Perhaps they have a touch of xenophobia too.

The problems you cite can be easily dealt with. I just run air purifiers in my condo to get air of acceptable quality while the smoke season is on. I ignore the politics, none of my business, certainly I don't experience xenophobia from any woman here. Quite the opposite.

Ever increasing cost of living? Condo prices and rents have not changed in the last ten years. If anything, they have gone down. Unless one can only survive on imported foods alone, those prices have not shifted either. Fruit and vegetables in season in the local markets are as cheap as ever.

My inflation-linked pension keeps rolling in from Australia, the 800K baht stays in the bank year round. Allowing for the cost of flights and accommodation, ( don't mention quarantine ) it's now actually cheaper for me to have my medical needs attended to in Thailand.

I'll let the vibrant culture go through to the wicketkeeper, any country is what you make of it yourself.

I got out of England because I had been locked up in a small room with all pubs and restaurants closed for most of the last year, and no end in sight. As for the cost of living, a small guesthouse room for one week in Worthing with a shared bathroom (200 pounds), was costing me more than a month in an apartment in Pattaya (175 pounds) with use of a gym and swimming pool. By the time my 3 month STV is over, I will have spent only a little more (including flights/insurance/VISA/etc) than I would have by staying locked up in the UK. If I extend for 2x 3 months, I'll have saved a lot of money.