KhunLA

"Mr. Lelonek, speaking through a translator, informed the police that he was unsure of the attack's details" I suspect there is a wee bit he is leaving out of the story.

Lived in TH in 2000, didn't have a landline phone or a TV. Same with living in Memphis, TN, USA area, just before coming to TH. I don't think I've owned a tv since 1980s, till about 2003, and only watched DVDs with my daughter. English DVDs, as a learning tool for her. No TV programming, and still don't have any. Only 'TV' watched now is torrent downloads, and only because there isn't much going on at nighttime, living rural in TH. Besides, playing with the wife & dog is more interesting than anything TV programming. Not being a sports fan, not needed for that either. I've always considered TV nothing but a waste of time, and movies simply time killers. Especially now, since what they put out is geared to the brain dead. A lot of my free time is planning O&As, whether local or a long week of overnights, exploring TH. No different than when living in USA. Planning trips to relax and explore in TH. Same when in USA, except a lot of taking to women, since single there, quite often. TV is not living life, it's killing time.

no

I could get that in Philly, PA, USA ... China Town, the area looks no different than some Thai restaurant streets Doesn't have the limestone karsts & cheap surfside or mountain bungalows with a view though 😎

Foreign aid is a gift to people that didn't 'pay' for it. Myself and my employers paid into SS. Not our fault the govt mismanaged the funds. Actually it probably is, me not voting, and people voting for the same idiots that depleted the funds. I think I got back or will get back, before I crap out, every tax $$$ I ever paid. Been on full SS bennies for 25 years ... ... I'm a blight on society

Maybe not your's, but it was typical in mine and with my peers. And we were far from elitist. Seems a couple other members agree with me ... hmm. You can keep repeating it, but won't make it true, except to you Have a nice day ... BYE BYE

Salmon, pumpkin & spinach ...

Doesn't anyone go south. Stunning landscape down this way. Been on all those in OP, and nice, especially the Nan drive, and thought that was probably the best of. Also the newest, possibly influenced by that, as been on the others a few times.

As long as you are not there for a swim in the surf 'beach' holiday. It can be nice ... or not. Timing is everything, and would avoid weekends if you can. Since Op is interested in an extended stay, then will be exposed to all the pluses & cons. For me, the cons out weight the pluses. Though TBH, haven't spent much time there, as lost it's appeal to us a long time ago, after being a regular stop 10+ years running. Many love HH, many tolerated it, many hate it. I'm in between tolerate & hate. Latter is the overdevelopment & congestion. Restaurants started catering to foreign palate, and the few good Thai restaurants we used to visit, closed up shop long ago. As rents skyrocketed, and their Thai base customers wouldn't pay the prices they had to charge to stay in business. When we do pop in for a bit of shopping, we usually eat at the food court in the malls. And can find something decent. It's convenient since we self drive, and back to the negative of congestion, there literally is no parking in that town, so we don't venture to the side sois any more. The photo of the horses waiting for customers brings back memories. Nothing like stepping of the side soi, into the sand, and getting the intense smell of horse piss .... Welcome to Hua Hin Beach With that, the southern end of the beach area, is much better, and we stay down at Nong Kae area, (Ibis down to the Buddha), on that very rare occasion if overnighting.

I only burn it, as I figure the govt will do the same. Since most of it is plastic bags or TP/PT, it gives the govt no chance to dump in the sea. Burn a Bag ... Save a Turtle Anything else, gets sold to recycle center, or goes to the compost piles. About 6 months of recycling sold the other day .... ฿120 ... we can retire soon

25 yrs and nobody caused an accident with our vehicles. Only been hit once, recently, and that was my fault. It's called defensive driving. UP2U to exercise it or roll the dice. I find the highways to be the safest, since divided and less cross traffic. YMMV

Road is safe if you look a couple times before crossing 🙄 Back to use of that common sense.

Use of that uncommon common sense makes every place safe. UP2U to actually use it Visited HH well over 100 times, for a week, long weekend, a night, or just a munch & some shopping, and never felt unsafe. That's everywhere in Thailand.

I used Yahoo chat, and travelled all over the USA to hook up with women, 1990s, when I worked for airlines. How I got to see many of the cities that we flew to. From about 1993-2000 I worked 2 days a week, and played the other 5 day Gave me 3 days to hang out in cities that we flew to, with free place to stay and some female company while there ... what a life All possible because of the internet.

I had a cell phone in my work truck, huge damn thing, and that was around 1990.

And yet, we, friends, coworkers and peers, had cells, computers & the internet of course. And far from the elitist, just working class heroes. Those that wanted more, earned more, had what ever they wanted. You think all of the sudden one day changed, 1999 to 2000 and 41% all of the sudden got internet. My life experience is very different from your unsourced stats. 53.7M households had computers in 1999. (170+M people or 62% of population) 26% of households had internet. A household had 3.18 people in 1999. I guess you don't remember people going to other peoples houses, and using their computers, internet and gaming software. Everyone I know had fiber optics cable TV & internet, before 1999. I had it for the internet, but didn't usa a TV Seriously, what back water country did you live in ?

Not exactly. Here, TH, there is .... ... VAT that all pay ... income, if claimed, and sliding scale, like home country (USA), that I don't agree with, but it is what it is. ... excise taxes, for 'luxury' items, 🙄 such as vehicles, that make up 20-25% of the price Then there are the taxes in home country (USA), that aren't here. ... state/province, country, city, income tax ... RE taxes, after purchase, for life, even after paid off. (silly, expensive, and one I disagree with the most) ... school taxes for you free education As it should be. Before income taxes in the USA, ALL taxes were derived from import tariff & excise taxes.

Numbers are there for all to see, all day, all night. Really don't think anyone cares to waste much time continually talking & reading about it. I don't, and we still burn our trash, what little we generate. Oh well

Down to HH & beyond. Even breaking 100+ AQI about 100 kms south of HH. Been some of the highest numbers this past few days, after a couple quite clear weeks. Although 75+ isn't strange for this time of year, till the rains kick in.

I can only go by what you see I posted. Don't care enough to count everyone. There's 5 countries larger than that 'continent'. Actually 5 cities in the world with 20+M people, though not sure that's actually a good thing 🙄 I can definitely think of worse place to be born.

I lived there / USA, for 45 years, and traveled extensively for almost 25 of those year. With all that travel, I just scratched the surface of what is available to see & do there. If that's not enough, right next door is Canada, Mexico & Caribbean right there, no reason to leave USA or N. America. Before 9/11, you didn't even need a passport to go to CA, MX or Islands. Agree, if I livid in AU, I'd want to travel internationally also. Lovely beaches, though don't know if I'd bother swimming in them. And few live in the interior of the country ... for a reason. Only about 25 million people there, and 15+ million of those, live in only 5 cities ... nuff said

I've read a lot of novels, but only 1 outside of work. I only read a book, when bored and can't do anything else, including sleep. Enjoyed most books I've read, and at least 1 a week for 10+ years. Only to pass the time faster at work. I haven't read one in 25 years, since I stopped working. Actually bought one after retiring, and could get pass the 1st chapter. To many things to experience in real life, rather than reading someone else's story about fictitious people.

Are you all nuts. 7-11 is thriving & expanding everyday. Do you really think expats & tourist are their customer base They are everywhere, in the smallest of towns way off the beaten track, and street food is all around, even at their doorstep most times. Where we travel, I rarely see foreigners in 7-11. Y'all need to the tourist areas once in a while. Thailand is second only to Japan in number of 7-11 stores. Thailand even has more per capita than Japan.

In 1999 most people I know and worked with (USA) had cell phones, and computers at home. Many of us investing in the market, around the Y2K 'scam' and doing very well. What country did you live in at that time ?

So I'm a baby boomer. That and the rest are some silly A$$ labels. Mean absolutely nothing. Opportunities are always there. As are excuses for being a LPOS. The choice is UP2U.