grain

Been my opinion for many years now that a great many Thai monks are low life bottom feeding scumbag Thai men who have nothing going for them...no education, no skills, no job...and they go to a temple put on an orange robe and Hey Presto! an instant holy man who gets free housing, free food, free gifts, and perhaps most of all gets revered and have people groveling at their feet.

I recently spent a week in Pattaya, first visit for close to 3 years. The thing that made the biggest impression on me was the terrible stray dogs situation. Every soi I walked around had packs of the filthy things. During the day when they mainly slept it wasn't so bad, but from sunset on it became terrible. And dogsh*t everywhere. You really have to keep a keen eye out while walking...there must be an incredible number of people who pick up dogsh*t on their shoes and bring it back to their hotels/rooms. Sterilization of bitches helps but it's not enough, they need culling. Every stray dog caught and killed. There's no other solution, Thailand can't run a "rescue dog" plan like they have in Australia and elsewhere, nobody in their right mind, would want to bring one of these filthy dangerous diseased animals into their home.

Sounds real to me. I've seen a bit of what these Thai mafia thugs can get up to. Cops say "no evidence" but they more than likely are getting a slice of the pie.

Damn nippy where we are (Korat) Yesterday I was hot and had AC on, today I'm wearing a sweater and wish I had a little heater.

Reminds me of my parents when I was listening to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones back in the early 1960s..."that's not music, that's a horrible noise"...but I loved it.

Sad news, she is very old now, hopefully she will have a speedy recovery.

I asked 2 visa agents in Pattaya last week, they said it's taking average 10 weeks.

Yeah, he still owes me for 4 flights cancelled by AA in 2020. I can whistle Dixie cause he ain't gonna refund one cent.

My home state of Western Australia, which up to now has been like a fortress, have just announced new regulations. Fully vaxed (3 shots) international arrivals will be given a rapid test (RAT) on arrival. Test neg and off you go, no need to quarantine at all. Unvaxed arrivals need do 1 week quarantine at a gov' hotel. This make sense to me. Fully vaxed + neg RAT = come and go freely.

Ridiculous speed, anything can come out in front of a vehicle going at such a speed....dogs, kids, other vehicles, other animals. Plus rider could suddenly come to a patch of bad road, or a slippery patch, got no chance of pulling up fast at such a speed.

Won't drink before 6PM. It's a strict rule, only exception would be a very special occasion like Xmas Day or some rare social event, and then I'd only relax my rule down to about 4PM. I really dislike drinking when it's daytime, as someone else mentioned already it screws up my sleep cycle. So I start after dark or at sunset. My 2nd strict rule is I won't drink 2 days running. I'll drink one evening, then take a day off. I think it's a good idea to have some strict rules in place with drinking to prevent one from sliding into alcoholism.

Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.

I've found Thais to be obsessed with covid vaccinations. Every Thai I've talked with in recent months eagerly want to discuss the various vaccines and tell you which ones they have had and what one they want next. Last week in Pattaya I walked into a little music store at Central and one lady in there, she had a sign up on the wall saying she's been vaccinated. I asked what she'd had, and she told me her whole story, and how lucky she was to have recently got a Moderna booster. I was in her shop for 20 minutes chatting away only and covid and vaccines with her. I thought afterwards I can't ever remember having such a lengthy conversation with a total stranger Thai before.

AZ - 3 months later AZ - 3 months later Pfizer. That's it, I don't want anymore, I believe the pandemic is in its final stages anyway. But if I MUST have another jab in order to enter Australia or return to Thailand in the future then I'll have it.

Your first time there at Srinakarin will take a long time. From memory my first time, including finding where to go to register, and registering, then finding where to go to the skin clinic, and waiting to see the doctor, took over 3 hours. But subsequent visits are very much faster.

Not in the least interested. I'm now triple vaxed but still avoid large crowded areas, I was recently in Pattaya and stayed well away from TreeTown, preferring to sit quietly in little restaurants or outside a M&P. Going to one of these huge crowded events and being in the thick of it with hundreds of others and having to show my QR codes or getting poked up the nose in order to enter, all sounds like an 'amazing' nightmare to me.

Well you can always stay the night in KK. There are a few cheap hotels directly opposite the hospital, if you look on Google maps you can find them. There are some in the 500-600-700 Bt a night price range, and plenty of eating places in the area.

+1 for Dr. Charoen. I've been regularly having freezing treatments with him for about a year now. I don't live in KK, I'm in Korat but drive up to KK every month to see Dr. Charoen, then spend a few days relaxing & shopping in KK. I see him at Sriagraind Hospital. The very first time I went there and registered I had a Thai friend come with me as it was all very confusing, but after that one first time I go alone. Never have to wait that long, longest been about 1 hour, and my freezing treatments on spots on my limbs and head cost about 1100 Bt each visit. The doctor speaks good English and the receptionists are all very helpful & friendly. I believe the same treatment at KK Ram costs around 4000 Bt. So myself I have no problem in sitting around waiting for an hour at Sriagraind and saving 3000 Bt.

If I had any say in the matter Songkran would be cancelled for eternity.

"The thief could lose their job as well as face criminal prosecution" Really? A hospital employee steals a patient's ATM card and empties their bank account, and for doing this crime they "could" lose their job.

Not just money but pretty well everything else you own can/will be "borrowed" which means it's gone for good. Stuff like T-shirts, umbrellas, bintos, caps/hats, raincoats, all borrowed never to be seen again.

I'm currently in Pattaya for a few days, first time here in close to 3 years, and yes, the grandads are sure here in large numbers, can't say I've noticed many of the younger monger guys who used to come in droves, nor any family groups, just all those grandads walking around in their shorts & singlets & sandals. I guess it's easier for them, being over 50 and getting retirement exts, and having pensions.

I'm 74 now, up to age 70 I regularly rode a mc (110cc Honda) around Pattaya. But 4 years ago I ceased and only drive my car now. Nothing wrong with me, eyes are good and reflexes good. But I know if I have even a minor accident and go bouncing along the road on my ass in my 70s I run the risk of spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair or hobbling along with a walking frame. I came off plenty of mc in my 30s/40s/50s and after a few uncomfortable days I was back to normal but in your 70s your body just can't take any heavy impacts like before. So it's 4 wheels for me.

Some nice tasty "special" burgers would sort out that neighbor's pack of filthy pests.

I also got 2 X AZ at BKK some months ago. Last Wed I got my Pfizer booster at The Mall, Korat. When I got home a couple hours later my MorProm app was showing all 3 jabs. I made a screenshot of that and have it ready to show if ever required. I also requested the International Certificate, and I saw this morning that has now arrived, but I need another phone to read the QR code, so I'll get that done soon.