MangoKorat

25 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yet Trump and the GOP continue to push back on requirements for deeper background checks and more restrictions on high-powered weapons that have no value when it comes to hunting and are not required for protecting the home. So what are they used for?

 

Does the GOP and does Trump support mass shootings? 

Come on, you know they are special. Americans must have guns, the country is different to any other place on earth. We don't need guns in the UK for example because we have no crime - or at least our crime is different to crime in the USA 😀.

I don't know about high powered weapons - there is no justification for owning any type of firearm - ouside sport.  Simply being in possesion of a gun makes it much more likely that it will be used unnecessarily  and used with fatal results.

Testosterone fuelled youths for eaxmple - at one time would have had a scrap on a Friday night out. Now, they shoot each other.

On 9/19/2024 at 4:58 AM, webfact said:

On September 18, a petition was submitted, urging Paetongtarn to reveal the truth regarding her father's hospital stay. The petition demands a full and transparent disclosure of the evidence, including CCTV footage, that purportedly documents Thaksin's activities in the hospital's private ward. Thaksin was granted an unusual six-month stay in a ward generally off-limits to other convicts.

The lengths some will go to to try and get rid of a PM they just don't want never fail to amaze me. I have no love for any of the Thaksin family but the current PM was not in office when these events took place. 

It is inconceivable that Thaksin invented his 'illness' by himself - the 'events' that took place were clearly carried out with the knoweledge of and probably facilitated by, those in power at the time. Given the fiasco surrounding the election, the denial of the election winner's ability to take control and the eventual demise of Move Forward, its quite clear why Thaksin never spent a single night in prison. The deal was done well before he returned to Thailand - you don't need a degree to work that one out.

Starting with his transfer to hospital without even smelling the inside of a prison cell, even 5 year old could see that it was just a charade. Why is Paetongtarn being asked to reveal  the truth about events facilitated by others - some at the very top I might add?

In the words of another 5 year old, but this time they are truthful - its a Witchhunt!

The Thai Government's activities would make a good TV series - a children's TV series.

54 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Buy to let is an abomination that makes purchasing out of reach for normal people

Sorry, don't agree. 'Buy to Let' may have had a small effect on house prices but the difficulties faced by people trying to get on the housing ladder are faced in many countries where the 'Buy to Let' phenomenon doesn't exist.

The problem is really a factor of capitalist societies that create have's and have not's through massive pay differentials - value to the company determines pay rather than the amount of work pout in - etc. etc. A cleaner, for example, might earn 10% of the salary that a manager gets but both are essential to run the company. In the UK, for example, we pay nurses, on average - £37,000 p.a. whilst a hospital manager can expect to earn an average of almost £56,000 - which member of staff can the hospital do without?

https://www.nurses.co.uk/careers-hub/nursing-pay-guide/

https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/hospital-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm

You should not forget that Buy to Let landlords (and yes, I am one of them) have provided homes for people who would previously have rented from their local authority (council houses). Council houses are in extremely short supply these days as many have been bought by their tenants under Thatcher's (much abused) Right to Buy scheme.

Where would people live if there were no 'Buy to Let' homes?  The councils have sold much of their stock off and very few new council homes are being built.  The answer to that question is very likely to be answered in the coming few years as many 'Buy to Let' landlords get out of the business.  I'm selling up, as are others that I know of - we are sick and tired of unfair tax changes and new regulations.

Did you know for example that HMRC now treat the entire rental income from a 'Buy to Let' as profit, regardless of whether the landlord has a mortgage to pay on the property?  You can buy a box of Apples for £5 and sell it for £10 and HMRC see your income as £5.  Receive £1000 in rent from a property but pay £500 in mortgage interest - your real income is £500 but under the new rules, HMRC calculate your income as £1000.

It will be interesting to see how this and future governments deal with the shortage of properties for rent that these new rules and regulations create.

19 hours ago, NativeBob said:

Exactly. Why some foreigners are going belly-up and admit wrong-doings almost instantly?

God knows! Granted it doesn't happen as often these days but its the same as those who just accept "you go to fast sir" - with no evidence.  If I know I wasn't speeding, I simply refuse and ask for evidence - never failed me yet and neither have I spent ages parked up arguing with them.  They don't want to waste time fighting this 'arrogant' farang while there other potential 'victims' passing - normally just waved on.

On 9/11/2024 at 10:54 PM, treetops said:

Apparently the company offering the cheap prices in your example (EaseMyTrip) will call you the next day after you book and pay and ask for more money - their bookings and prices aren't live/real time.  Do you want to buy from a shonky Indian company with dubious practices?

Never used that agent but I have used many others and I always check them out on Trustpilot. Never had a problem.  The agents I've used have all issued e-tickets within minutes.

On 9/13/2024 at 3:36 PM, Chivas said:

My preferred agent Travel Trolley bends over backwards to assist me if I have the slightest issue

Agreed, I used to use Travel Trolley or their sister company, Southall Travel quite a lot but in recent years they have not been so competitive. Always helpful though and open 24 hours.

On 9/11/2024 at 9:49 PM, georgegeorgia said:

Lucky I paid more this time and booked DIRECTLY with Philippines Airlines rather than through Skyscanner or a third party website 

 

I went to change my flight date and it was flight difference price only and easier than using a third party website 

Always book directly with the airline that's all I ask of you please 

Why?  I've been using a mixture of agents/airlines for 22 years, never really had a problem and I rarely need to change my dates.  What I have saved over the years far outweighs any potential problems.

What really annoys me though, is if the airlines can offer agents discount prices, why not offer the same to their frequent flyer members? Its not difficult for an airlines to identify those people.

8 hours ago, NativeBob said:

So what? report you? unless there's solid evidence of engaging into "paid work" they can go whistle. 

Although I sort of agree with your general sentiment, let's keep to the facts to be against the law, the work doesn't have to be paid work.

There's always crazy talk on here when this subject comes up - people saying they can't even paint their house, one guy a while back claimed he was fined for drilling a hole in the wall of his condo etc. 

All I would say to anyone in that situation is, if what you are doing is on your own premises and falls within the definition of DIY - don't accept any 'fine' from the police. Tell them you want the matter decided by a court - the chances of you receiving a summons are 0 to zero.

Just to back up what I said about fare differentials. I have never found the airlines prices to be the same but if they are within £30, I book direct. I regularly find that the airlines are £100 - £150 more.

This is a screen shot taken tonight on Travelsupermarket's site.  The cheapest agent is £843 whilst Etihad is £921.  Yes, I followed the agent's deal through and yes, its bookable at the price stated. I also checked on Etihad's site and the price is correct.

Even the better quailty ones will pack up if you don't use them regularly.  Calcium is their biggest enemy.

On 9/6/2024 at 6:09 AM, hotchilli said:

Forever tweaking the system.... 

Yep, new announcements on a weekly basis - bunch of mixed up cookies.

On 9/4/2024 at 2:35 AM, Captain Monday said:

Mindboggling why one would use third party sites.

What's mindboggling to me is why anyone would pay £100's more on some occasions by booking direct.  Believe me, I always check and if the price is close, of course I book direct but you can usually do that on the comparison site in any case. You certainly can on Travelsupermarket.

Interesting that so many insist that booking direct is better but very strange that so many say agents prices are not much cheaper. I always compare before booking and have saved £ thousands. Not an opinion but fact - I travel 4 to 6 times per year so the price is important to me. My last flight with Qatar was £102 cheaper through an agent. May's flight was just £27 cheaper so I booked direct with Etihad.

The beauty of using a comparison site is that most also list the airline's price.  I sometimes check this on the airline's website and so far its always been the same. Sometimes more timings are shown on the airline's site

One of the annoying things is that sometimes when you click on a flight/price, when you arrive at the agents site, the flight is not available.  They claim its just not updated on the system yet...... bull.

Over the years I've learned that its usually the same agents that operate that way - so I avoid them. I won't name full names on this but UK members will probably recognise one with 'Guru' in their name - they are the worst I've seen for this.

10 hours ago, mdr224 said:

Directly with the airline only. These middlemen websites provide no support when things go wrong

You don't book with the website - they direct you to an agent.

11 hours ago, maesariang said:

I book direct always. I don't trust these other sites much.

Are you referring to sites base in Asia or ones like Travelsupermarket that I previously mentioned? I can't speak for other sites but I've used Travelsupermarket for years and never had a problem.  They are simply a comparison site that display prices and deals offered by many different agents. When you choose a price you are then transferred to the agents website to make the booking. Before booking you can check out the agents credibilty on sites such as Trustpilot.

Travelsupermarket also, in most cases, display the price of the airline involved and will direct you to their site to complete the booking if you choose to book direct.  I normally have a rule - if the agents price is less than £30 cheaper than going direct - I book with the airline. However, that is very rare and I've saved thousands of £'s over the years by using agents.

Anyway, what I'm trying to establish is if there are any Asia/Thailand specific comparison sites.

We all have our preferences that we swear by and when I'm in the UK, I find that Travelsupermarket works best for me - its Kayak based so other sites are  similar.  I am aware that I can use that site (and Kayak) to book flights FROM Thailand but I have no idea if I'm getting offered the best prices.

So, when you're in Thailand, which booking sites do you use? I am aware that Booking.com are now selling flights but there's are rarely the best prices and on the one time I booked through them, I was simply passed on to another agent.

Are there sites similar to Kayak etc. that are Thailand/Asia based and if so, are the agents trustworthy and do they offer anf fare protection?

1 minute ago, transam said:

The person I responded too, not you, knows exactly what I am talking about....😉

This is not a private chat - its a public forum.

7 minutes ago, koolkarl said:

Plays right into certain immigrants hands.  What happened to the terrorist who killed the little girls? Politicians are terrified and are really protecting themselves.

Terrorist?  On what basis do you make that claim?  Do you have some 'special access' to the facts?

11 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Basically a load of name calling followed by a reluctant acceptance that the current levels of immigration does indeed cause problems for the UK. 

I do not think that immigration per se causes problems for the UK.  I actually don't believe in borders as such.  However, I do believe that when a country is full, its full.

The world, more particularly Europe has been defined by immigration for centuries - the entire region is a mish mash of races.

However, it is only within the last 100 years or so that we have seen the rise of serious racism and that is because of what?  Colour!  Previous migrants have not been obvious so they were more accepted.  The white man's arrogant belief that he is somehow superior and that people of a different colour are lesser beings, responsible for more crime is behind their racism.

Should a white american man come to live in the UK, would he draw the same thoughts?

My niece for example, recently made a social media post complaining that asylum seekers were able to claim more benefits than British born people and generally berating immigrants as benefit cheats.  I pointed out to her that according to a news report last year, there are now white British 3rd generation unemployed in Leeds.  That's 3 generations that have never worked. I probably know 8 - 10 coloured people, all of them either work or have retired from work.

The basis of my niece's post came about from misinformation created out of populist misconceptions that often have their basis in more deliberate misinformation spread by racist right wing groups.

What has the above to do with the current debate?  The countrywide riots were the result of misinformation spread by racist groups - it never fails to amaze me how easily people believe what they read.  The rise of social media has given voice to all sorts of groups and individuals and very few of them contribute positively to society.

4 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

I'm not talking about the misinformation. I'm talking about the real facts. They were published on 31st July.

 

 

But its the misinformation that started the riots - however, I believe the far right groups have been waiting for an excuse.