VR333

The majority of older taxi drivers I encounter still do not wear glasses. It likely explains why so many sit so far forward with their nose almost pressed up against the windscreen. Plenty of Thais wore masks before covid. Not as many as the Japanese, but it was quite common on trains and buses.

The main reason hospitals appeared empty was, unless you were really sick, why go to a place full of people sick with an easily transmittable illness? Keep in mind that even doctors with full PPE were getting sick and some even dying, from coming into contact with patients. I did need to go to a major hospital in Bangkok in early covid. All the entrances on each floor direct from the car parks were closed except one. The only other entrance was the main hospital entry. You had to complete a questionnaire and have your temperature checked before entering. This was long before covid tests. It was very quiet inside simply because most people didn't want to be even in the same building as anyone with covid. My wife has annual tests she put off for six months for this exact reason. You didn't see people in hospitals with covid because they were kept in isolation wards away from general visitors. In my mooban, five people I know of died from covid within three hundred meters of my house, three I knew well enough to say hello to. Two women in their fifties, and a sixty-year-old lady. They seemed outwardly healthy, but maybe they had some underlying chronic disease I wasn't aware of. A cousin of my wife also died; he was only forty years old, but he was type one diabetic and overweight. Try: Thailand + Covid + Carpark + Hospital This January, where I live in Bangkok, about half the people wore masks due to the PM 2.5 risk. I can remember it being the same in the months just before covid. It was one reason masks were in such short supply even from the very start of covid. I sometimes wonder if the people who deride ever wearing masks because they have healthy immune systems have spent much time in Thailand when dust levels are 100+ for days on end. In ten or twenty years' time, don't be surprised at the increase in people with COPD, due to not taking the simple precaution of wearing a mask when outside at certain times of the year, more so if they engaged in strenuous outdoor exercise.

FWIW, the doctor doing my checkup up at a different Bangkok hospital told me it was not necessary for me to have a stress test (walk/run/incline 12 mins) every year. It may be different if you have a heart condition etc. that needs monitoring, but I don't. I think the cost component for the stress test made up about 5k baht of the total cost, so I found a cheaper package with add-ons, as Sheryl suggested, was a better fit for me.

if you have a moment, read again the last two lines where you quoted me, right above your reply 🙂

I've got two small coffee shops near my place in Bangkok suburbia that ask customers to remove their shoes on entering. It's why I rarely visit them, despite one being quite nice. There are also a few office-like places and a barber shop near me that request the same, so it does still happen. It's annoying if you're wearing shoes with long laces.

I make sure I only go to cafes with all female staff....

They might, or they may be like me. I have normal home internet and often use the wi-fi at coffee shops. I mostly use my internet data for Google Maps or reading the news when out and about. I'm not streaming games or media, so 40GB a year is plenty.

In Australia, Tesla sales were down 62 per cent in the first four months of 2025, from the same period in 2024. April year on year sales were down 75 per cent, so Australian sales are only getting worse Twice in the past year when renting a car, I've been asked if I wanted a Tesla upgrade. I was driving long distance, so I went with a hybrid Camry, with no concerns about where to find a working charging station.

As anyone who has ever been there knows, the place is small. It only held a few hundred prisoners. They'd need to demo it and rebuild it to modern standards. It would cost a fortune. Then there is the loss of one of the most iconic tourist attractions in California. It brings in more than fifty million dollars in revenue a year, so it would be idiotic to throw that away for a small prison that will cost a mint to run. There is plenty of land in Nevada where you could build a new, larger supermax for way less.

State terms are four years, while federal terms are only three. Mark Latham... 🤔

That looks even more expensive than Australia. The only item I buy now from McDonalds in Australia is their McSmart meal. You have choices but you can get two small cheeseburgers, small fries & small drink for 6.95 AUD (4.50USD) https://www.frugalfeeds.com.au/2025/deal-mcdonalds-new-695-mcsmart-meal-with-small-cheeseburger-meal-extra-side/ A full Australian McDonalds menu here: https://www.frugalfeeds.com.au/mcdonalds-prices-menu/ (1AUD = 65c US)

The first opposition leader in Australian history to lose their own seat at a federal election. Held the same seat for twenty-four years.

I think you're forgetting that materials like titanium are used in most implants. Titanium costs a lot more than 350 baht. While you can save on labor costs in Thailand, titanium, like gold, is pretty much the same price worldwide i.e. expensive.

https://www.youtube.com/@WeirdExplorer - exploring the world of fruit Who knew the history of nutmeg could make such a great video. https://www.youtube.com/@JagoHazzard - London transport & history https://www.youtube.com/@DieselCreek - Repairing heavy equipment https://www.youtube.com/@MatArmstrongbmx - repairing wrecked cars

Nice body... shame about the face...