Shwaman

Talk about getting your brains f##ked out. Sorry couldn't resist. On a more serious note I can remember having a small dose of E slipped into my drink in Ban Tak 4 years ago. I could drive like stink but couldn't remember any basic banking information. Later a decent Thai bar owner in Chiang Mai warned me that a common ruse is for women of a certain occupation to put similar compounds on their nipples to further otherwise nefarious results. Gotta love this place. Kwai beware. 555

As supported by the two main coalition parties, if he doesn't usurp their legislative agenda, this will be a good thing for Thailand. The only remaining question is, to whose allegiance the senate will continue to commit with regards to holding sway in future legislative initiatives. I'm no expert but from what I understand, he has now been granted significant influence in this process. Hoping for the best for this politically crazy but wonderful nation.

Read the above replies. Can't quite understand many of the preconceived judgments. However one thing is certain. Good bad or indifferent, none of us is getting out of here alive. I'll just choose to leave it all in the realm of TIT. That's why I'm here.

Brit Tim . Left my glasses in the car but fortunately a lovely IO intake assistant filled out my TM 6 for me. She asked for the exiting flight info. Then went to the on duty line up where I was officially stamped through. I was asked why I was staying in Ban Tak . Answered visiting friends and was sent on my way. I had the required 500 baht so I'm sorry I can't inform you about $10 USD . And yes as someone else posted its a beautiful ride on a very good highway. For real scenic beauty the mountain road from Mae Ramat to Ban Tak is top drawer altough care needs to be taken where they are reconstructing washed out sections of the road. From CM its about the same time to either border crossing but personally I do find Mae Sot preferable to Mae Sai. Thanks for your interest and responses.

Thanks for that Rooster ! Was in Ban Tak today with a family I have great affection for. Young lad (Thai ) threw water in the face of a passing MC . So I went over and motioned to him ( my Thai is limited unlike yours) that this was mai dee and keep it below the chest. Very pleased to report that he understood the farang and conducted himself in exemplary fashion the rest of the day. Songkran can be a lot fun but please everyone respect the elderly , people trying to make a living and basic road safety. A little water on the shoulder goes a long way towards cultural understanding. Sa wa dee pee mai.

Choice is never about facts. Its about the joy of living and risking all. There will always be those that never get it. To each their own!

And that is a fair point as well. Poverty elicits some very poor choices in any culture. I wish it were different myself. But the culture needs to adopt changes from within. Maybe from observation, maybe from education. No one wants to see innocent children die under any circumstance.

I've been reading everyone spouting off about helmets for at least nine years. My wife and I rode to the US for at least 10 years and logged over 100,000 miles on separate bikes. I guarantee you she could outride anyone on this forum. Why? Helmet free states ! One of the only reasons to God bless America. Individual choice. Personally I'd ratther die quickly than have a brain bucket keep me alive as a non functioning paraplegic. Personal choice. Oh! The Thais are people too ! They make the same choices ( their unenforceable laws notwithstanding) . Sanctimonious condescension from pious all knowing ex.....? foreigners only speaks to a colonial mindset that believes nobody can figure out how to run their culture unless it mirrors my own. None of us are getting out of here alive. Fun and feedom of choice in between.

The border at the Mae Sot friendship bridge open and is well managed for a visa run. Works more smoothly than precovid. Commercial traffic now uses the 2nd bridge eliminating congestion downtown. I was asked for departing flight info. No weapons fire heard this time. 555.

Thanks all. I'll give it a shot Thursday ( another Thai holiday 55 )and report back.

I understand the border opened to Myanmar at Mae Sai recently. Does anyone know if that applies to Mae Sot as well ? Thanks in advance.

Was in CM 6 years ago when my buddy was captured on CCTV at his residence wandering around naked late at night in the lobby looking at the fish in the pond. Fortunately when security reviewed the tape with the owner / doctor they were told to contact my friend immediately and get him to a hospital. The doc intuitively knew he had had a stroke. The MRI showed it conclusively. Proper diagnosis and medication probably saved his life. Not all things are as they appear.