Toc-Toc

At almost 75 years old, and having lived in Thailand for 14 years, I still have no health insurance, and everything is fine. For the very rare emergencies, I manage to pay like the locals. I go to a government hospital or a doctor recommended by my young girlfriend. For example, I had skin cancer successfully treated with an autograft by a surgeon team in Chonburi at the exorbitant total cost of 16,000 baht. But more than the cost itself, not being insured forces me to take care of my body and my health in general. As a result, I'm never really sick. This isn't advice for everyone, especially those with fragile health, but it's my philosophy, and I stick to it.

That seems fair and well said. But some old people have always said that, prophesying the coming catastrophe when they are no longer around.

I fell off my scooter on the way back from Pratumnak Temple, taking a sharp turn on the descent. Almost immediately, a Thai man in a pickup truck took me and my scooter, first to a mechanic for a very cheap repair, then to a pharmacy. There, he explained that I needed disinfectant to clean my scrapes and some bandages. Finally, I took out my wallet to thank him for his time and kindness, but he refused with a warm, brotherly smile.

Daily stories in the Parisian suburbs, and here it's not Putin's soldiers but the tanned thugs largely invited by socialist demagogues who have ruined my country for over 40 years.

Having owned an Adv 350 for three years, I completely agree with this assessment, and I miss my old PCX. Furthermore, the high seat height makes the bike difficult to control in traffic jams, and there are currently no flat seats available to allow taller riders to be comfortable on long journeys.

That's precisely the problem with the internet and its social networks: anyone can write anything.

Putin's Russia offers the prospect of profit. Ukraine, on the other hand, offers a bottomless pit of wasteful spending. On this issue, at least Trump is pragmatic, setting aside ideology to serve the American people. As a French European, I would have liked our leaders, UVDL and Macron, to have prioritised this concern.

It was last April. I was leaving Makro South Pattaya on my scooter when a huge thunderstorm hit. I quickly found a tree to take shelter under, along with other locals who had stopped there for the same reason. A mother pulled out several plastic ponchos to protect her family. Then, seeing me helpless and a little envious, she offered me one with a kind smile, refusing any payment. Finally, I went home with a blissful smile and a renewed faith in humanity.

It's sad to say, but I see no solution other than Ukraine's capitulation and the abandonment of Russian-speaking territories along the current front line. Without this, they will continue to advance and then take Odessa, Ukraine's last access to the Black Sea, thus rendering Ukraine completely dependent. The only other solution would be the internationalization of the conflict, leading to World War III, which nobody wants.

For many years, I've been able to renew my non-emigrant visa in Jomtien with just a letter from the consulate and a tax notice from my home country (France). The wait is about an hour, and I return the next day to collect my passport, 5 minutes. As a precaution, I update my bank account details in the days leading up to the renewal, but this isn't mandatory for Europeans. As a precaution also, I always complete the process between one to two months before the expiry date.

So if I understand correctly, a guy who doesn't think like you is a fascist, Z. I'm not pro-Putin, much less pro-Zelensky. I simply think Russia will win this war for the simple reason that it can't lose it. That's my opinion, even if you condemn it.

What a misleading title ! with comments reeking of credulity and propaganda. IMO, the Russians can't lose. They are infinitely more numerous, better armed, fresher, better equipped, and largely supported by their people. Putin is proceeding cautiously, for now refraining from using tactical nuclear weapons to maintain the Chinese alliance and the West's fearful neutrality. But if he were seriously attacked on Russian soil, with any doubt about the ultimate victory, there's no doubt he would launch a massive offensive and destroy Ukraine in a matter of days. In short, this thread is just another way of talking nonsense.

Large Vietnamese community in France, linked to the colonial past. Probably the friendliest. They run good, affordable restaurants and work primarily in this sector or as temporary laborers. They never campaign, protest, or demonstrate. The icing on the cake is that the women are slim and smiling; in fact, it was one of them who sparked my interest in Asia.

What a load of nonsense! I just renewed my driver's licenses. I arrived at the Transport Office at 2 PM with appointment and left two hours later with both licenses in hand, valid until 2031. The cost was negligible. Every year I renew my visa without going through an agent and without any hassle. It usually takes two hours with waiting and five minutes the next day to pick them up. I've had my Kasikorn account since 2009 without ever having the slightest problem. And when I request a specific service, like changing my phone number or getting an explanation for a charge, I'm always received kindly and efficiently at the local branch.

A few days ago, I bought some kilos of steak at the Ratanakorn market. The friendly vendor removed the strips of fat and wrapped them in a separate bag. Back home, I sautéed and salted the scraps a little, then put them back in a bag. Then I went to meet the stray dogs in a nearby vacant lot. A mixed reception, as always, mixed with flight, fear, and aggression. Always a little dangerous to leave the vehicle in this situation. But when I distributed the food piece by piece, I clearly sensed an increasingly friendly atmosphere. Some with imploring looks. A need for life, a need for love... Then I left the place with a heavy heart, promising myself to return soon with more feasts.

I don't speak Thai at all, and in the 14 years I've lived in Pattaya, I haven't had a single problem with racism from the locals, quite the opposite. So the language issue is probably a dead end.

I have pretty much the same life as you in Pattaya, and nothing will change me. On the other hand, I avoid bar discussions among Westerners. Here on this forum, for example, you can skip the nonsense. It's harder in person. I learned to live alone many years ago, and brief conversations with shopkeepers and girls are enough for me. For the OP, there's no easy solution. But sharing your life with someone who refuses is worse than anything. You should still know that there are plenty of candidates for a casual or romantic relationship here, and the only problem is choosing.

Matter of nuance. There are those who like spicy, very hot, and full-bodied food, and those who seek more subtle aromas.

It's time for celebration, certainly not speculation. What joy for the former hostages and their families.

One of the stupidest comments I've read here. Contesting freezing in a tropical country when you live far from anywhere is beyond archaic. Do you have a brain, Malcolm?

I'm not a Trump supporter, far from it. But we must recognize positive actions, and this is one of them. US soldiers will primarily serve to prevent the IDF's massacres, and they won't be able to oppose their big brother. For me, these decisions may not bring lasting peace, but they are a step in the right direction.

Never Thai food. Airfryer for lunch and dinner. With experience, I know perfectly well how to cook meat and vegetables in the same pot with very little fat, most often replaced by broth. Alternating between beef, chicken, duck, mutton, pork, and fish stored in a large freezer also alternating between fries and rice, always with a little green vegetable. At local restaurants with girls, I often miss my own cooking.

I don't think anyone supports Hamas, especially not the vile pogrom of October 7, 2023. But we can also be horrified and ashamed by the IDF's reaction to the indiscriminate bombing and starving thousands of Palestinian civilian women and children.

My case exactly. No more products made in the USA or even licensed since the Trump taxes, no more McDonald's and Starbucks, no more Coke and Pepsi, and I replaced my HP PC with a good and solid Lenovo. Besides, Chinese quality is constantly improving, and even if this country is criticized here, at least they're not hostile.