TroubleandGrumpy

Here in Thailand it is a total waste of time. They have implemented things to try and reduce the death toll on the roads, but just like all bureracracies all over the world, they have implemented something that looks good, but actually makes little/no difference. Employs more public servants, costs tax payers a lot, and forces impositions on the people - but it does not work - and it is not done 'properly'. There was an older guy in the queue ahead of me doing the tests - he failed the colour tests, he was too slow on the reactions, and he seemed to fail the peripheral vision (hands were going upo and down a lot - guessing?). They were extremely sympathetic and helped him and passed him. Wife said he probably just drives from his farm to the local market etc. I said he would not need a licence to do that and that I hope he does not drive a truck full of crap down to Bangkok. The 'solution' to reducing road deaths is simple - one for riders and one for drivers. Force all bike riders to wear an approved (decent) helmet - no exceptions. Implement nationwide random booze buses, with severe penalties for massively drunk drivers (including jail). That is all that is needed to massively reduce the toll. Added to that I would implement red light cameras - but not speed cameras - that should only be done by policemen on the roads in cars or on bikes. All the rest is bureacucratic crap - designed to rake in more and more money.

All good no problemo.

You serious?? Mate - under the UN Human Rights Convention all signatories must provide 'aid and assistance' to all 'refugees' (illegals) claiming to be refugees - while their claims (and years of appeals) are undertaken. Once approved or allowed, they have a short waiting period (each country different) before they qualify for social welfare benefits. Very few get rejected and deported - many 'rejected' ones just disappear. It is an 'industry' mate - some say it is an invasion.

The biggest drains on economic productivity are becomming far too large and unaffordable. Those two main draws are social welfare and public servants. Basically they are all the people that got paid during Covid, when many of the productive members of society lost their jobs/business. There are too many unproductive people in UK and most other western countries, and they are growing in numbers every year. The fact is that many illegals also go to those countries, not for the opportunity to work, but for the social welfare benefits they can get. But the bigger problem is all the people who believe that the Govt owes them a living. As USSR and all the other failed Socialist countries find out - it does not work in the end.

As someone that has ridden bikes for over 4 decades, I can first hand state that there is no such thing as an expensive helmet - after you fall off at high speed. It is unlikely that anyone in Thailand will ever reach the speeds of Eastern Creek or Phillip Island, but there is no such thing IMO as spoending too much on a helmet. The only thing they cannot fix or replace (within reason) is a head. In Thailand IMO the brand must be an overseas made one - any of the big name brands. Arai and Shoei have been the best over a long period of time. Given the speeds likely here, a top of the range helmet that racers get is not really that necessary - but if you can afford it, then get it. The main things for me (at my age) are a full-face (due to much slower reaction times) and one that has great ventilation.

You have reminded me of an issue that has long annoyed me - that mosquitos have not been eradicated. Flies perform a useful function, as do all the other insects, but WTF do mosquitos do. The reason I am extra annoyed is that they can eradicate them. There has been a gentic modification discovered that goes one step beyond the one that steralises the males in the local area. I remember reading the scientific report over 10 years ago. It was shelved for 2 reasons. One being that it is inhumane to eradicate a species - that one I did not and will not ever agree with. Number two being that they are not certain if somehow it could spill over to other species - I can see that. But IMO it is worth the risk. People claim Religion has killed more people - but the fact is that since we first became civilised (farming etc), more humans have been killed by mosquitos than anything else - by a long long way. And 1000s of times that number have been made sick. AND they have also killed many more of the other species of mammals. IMO time to bite the bullet and just eradicate them.

Not in Thailand. They are way more 'active' at night here than any dogs I have ever lived with or near in Australia. One reason I think that applies in Thailand is that they sleep a lot during the day here.

On a serious note - I have been thinking about getting one of these devices to stop the neighbour's dog. Crisis of Conscience – Ultrasonic – awesomedogs I have even thought of what would be the 'best' way to use it. My devious black heart said to turn it on all day full blast so the bastard animal cannot sleep, and then he will be too tired at night to bark at anything and everything that moves. Perhaps that is going a step too far??

Not sure what happened there - but that is not my comment - it is the OP. My only comments have been trying to get the details of the bank - or which ones it was not one of (big 4). Your comments are right - within each branch would be routing type device/s - but not a full blown server.

All this is good to know about - lots of good advice. I would add that it is very important to give feedback - it is when people give bad reviews that bad sellers are shown for what they are, and good ones too. And never buy from someone with only a few feedbacks.

Yes you need a medical certificate in Rayong - why I do not know, but Covid sounds as good a reason as any.

Yep - some things are best not bought online.

Us Expats will never really understand why the Thais have such a reluctance to 'put down' stray dogs. Their beliefs are very alien in many ways to ours, and this is one of the most stark differences. We used to live in a cheaper gated community where there was a dog that regularly escaped, and would chase and threaten the kids playing in that street. One Expat who lived a couple of houses away from where the dog was located, was very worried about his young kids. We talked about it one day and I agreed with him that it was a huge risk and that it was just a matter of time before the dog did hurt one of the kids. I said he has two choices - get rid of himself (move) or get rid of the dog. The problem in getting rid of the dog of course, was that the neighbours would know and there would be trouble - even catching it and taking it away somewhere, would be problematic. They were renting and so he moved out of the village. That was one of the many lessons I learned about why buying in Thailand is not always the best option - and if you do buy a house, make sure it is in a gated community that 'manages' any dog issue quickly and firmly. Likewise for buying a unit/condo - make sure soi dogs are not going to be an issue - especially barking at night.

I previously obtained a car and bike licence in Chiang Mai - and it was the same smooth process with efficient staff and processes - with less testing than at Rayong. Seems to me that all the Immigration Offices I have visited over the years could use some 'advice' from the Transport/Licence Office on how to do things easier and better (and nicer). Rayong Immigration Office is good, but many staff in the others are not so good. IMO it all comes down to their dress In the Transport/Licence Offices they are all dressed 'normally' and they therefore act normally and nicely. But in the Immigration Offices they are all dressed like little effin Generals with medals and regalia all over themselves, and they act like self-important a****** (not all - but many). In fact, I think they should ban all Thai public servants working in public facing roles (including politicians, teachers, etc.) from wearing any unforms - I think that may stop them getting a 'little hitler' syndrome. The people at Rayong Transport/Licence all had yellow collared shirts, but clearly they dont suffer from the mental issues of those that wear military uniforms and medals/etc. Just a thought.

That is why I was hoping for a 'Yes' or 'No' - to the question.

You are clearly not someone I want to talk to or listen to. Your anti-semitism is very clear, and your refusal to answer a straight question speaks volumes about who and what you are. If we were in a public place I would tell you to <deleted> off - and make you if you refused. But here there is only one option. BLOCKED.

Good p[oiunt - I had copied the page in my Passport where the TM30/289 had been noted.

All they asked for was the Lease document. I copied the main page with dates and address, plus the signatures page - and also took a copy of the full document (12 pages) but they did not ask to see it.

Over the last 50 years - not as many as the fast food industry - and lots more coming.

Name of the bank - if it is onw of the big opnes that would be surprising - BKK, Kasikorn, SCB, Krungsri?

thaibeachlovers said: The land they owned before old white men on the other side of the world took it away and gave it to zionists without their consent. Still no answer from @thaibeachlovers to my question. Because there is no such people who occupied a specific area of lands - and there never has been. Clearly he is a person with no idea what they are talking about - all emotions and feelings - and no facts and realities. Here is some facts and realities for you mate. Palestine is a name that the Romans gave to the area after they had pushed down the Jewish War. The first Jewish–Roman War (66–73 AD) — also called the First Jewish Revolt or the Great Jewish Revolt, spanning from the 66 AD insurrection, through the 67 AD fall of the Galilee, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple, and institution of the Fiscus Judaicus in 70 AD, and finally the fall of Masada in 73 AD. Maybe when @thaibeachlovers looks at this map above, he will ask where were the so called Palestinians. The answer is there were no such people - it was a word used to describe the whole area - which is now called the Middle East. Plus he will maybe realise the fact that Islam of which the Hamas are a people as such, did not even exist until Mohammed in the year 610 made his first revelations at the age of 40. Yes mate - 600 years after Christ and 600 years after this map - that was when Mohammed started the religion of Islam - of which the Hamas are a fanatically anti-Jewish group. History of the Jews under Muslim rule - Wikipedia These so called Palestinians in Gaza are nothing but a bunch of fanatic Jewish/Israel hating extremist Muslims who are using the ignorance and stupidity of the western media and its foolish people, to battle for the destruction of Israel and all its Jewish people. Clearly this area and lands were in the hands of the Jewish people before the BS Islamic terrorists even began to exist. And I could go back a lot longer too - 5000 years - the Jewish people and their history goes back 5000 years on those lands. I will say it again, Islam did not even start until 600 AD. 'Taken lands' is a total fabrication - given back their lands back after the Arabs were all beaten and conquered during WW2 is more like it. Check outr Europe post WW2 - many things happened to lands that were previously occupied and previously part of another country. That is the history of history - lose land, win land, lose land, win land - on and on it goes.

Ditto - we are close but not too close.

It means WTF - but last time I used that it was edited. Trying again in this answer to WTF is WTTFF.

And where exactly do you think that land was located?

'Their land' - What land was theirs??