FolkGuitar

It is perfect for that! I've spent a bit of time visiting both the tourist traps and the local markets and for photos ... it's the tourist traps every time. That's why they became tourist traps! It's interesting to see and experience. Obviously, don't go there to shop for silks and silver, or even the week's vegetables. Expect to pay double for a plate of Khow Man Gai. So what? An extra 50฿? If you've never seen it, go to that really big famous one 15k outside of Bangkok. It's a hoot! I like to sit and watch the tourists having fun!

I set up a Bangkok Bank account just for online shopping and it's the ONLY one I'll use for Lazada, Shopee, Ebay, alibaba, etc, any of the more dodgy companies. There is never more than a few hundred Baht in the account except when I want to purchase something. With the Bangkok Bank phone app, I can transfer the required payments instantly, and never worry that some company is going to sell my card number or empty my account!

Are there any custom pipe makers out there?

Some folks say; "If I move somewhere else, then I'll be happy" Others say; "If I'm happy, it doesn't matter where I live." It's not outside of us...

Just wondering... When a Thai gets into a fight with another Thai, do all his friends join in to gang-beat the other guy like they do when it's Thai against a foreigner?

I'll be 78 at my next birthday. I quit smoking 26 years ago, rarely drink alcohol, and have been following a Keto lifestyle for the past 5 years. 80% fat, 15% protein, and 5% carbs. (Aproximate) Before Keto, my waist was 46". For the past 4 years it's been 32". My weight went from 110k quickly down to the steady 72k that I've maintained for the past four years without really paying too much attention to it. Blood pressure is a steady 120/70 with a pulse of 55. BMI (if this really means anything,) is 23. Besides my regular 3-4 times a week sports activities, I climb 15 flights of stairs every day just for the extra exercise. Full physical every year at Rajaveg. It seems I may just live forever... So far... so good! 🙂

"Is a Rabies vax necessary?" Necessary? No. A good idea? Perhaps. Do you believe in Health Insurance? Would you drive your car without insurance? For one quick stick every few years, it's insurance against possible 4 injections and a bit of worry. It's no different than any other insurance.

I remember reading a comment in the news one day made by a spokesman for a major video rental chain stating that more women rented porn videos than men! But I'd guess that a good percentage of those rentals were in hopes of luring their husbands out of the garage workshop and into bed!

Cops are people doing a job I wouldn't want, or have the balls to do. That said, like all people, most have good character but there are always a couple of slackers or bad eggs. Not many... but enough to tarnish the name of the good ones. Here in Thailand, police seem to operate on a different model than in other countries. We don't see walking beat cops, we don't see regular neighborhood patrols, and we certainly don't see cops on the street pulling over reckless drivers. But... is that the fault of the cops themselves... or the orders that come down from the top? Perhaps around Bangkok, Pattaya, or Hua Hin you can find cops on the streets, but certainly not in the North. I have NEVER seen a driver or rider pulled over for reckless driving in all the years I've been here. The problem isn't the cops. It's the bosses and their agenda.

It makes no difference how many new laws get made. Without enforcement, nothing will change.

Are you saying that Temu's goods are inferior to Lazada and Shopee? They both carry a lot of Chinese goods. I have a feeling they are about the same across the board. But what I'm after is looking into the Data breaches I hear about with Temu. Does anyone have personal experience?

With so many in North America complaining about Temu's intrusive behaviors, data breaches, and security leaks, is it really any different from Shopee and Lazada? Now that Temu is advertising here, will you use their service? I've never noticed any problems, having dealt with both Lazada and Shopee for the past 20+ years, but I'm wondering about doing business with Temu... Your thought?

Regardless of your politics, if you support a racist, you are a racist. If you support someone who mocks the handicapped, you are just as much a lowlife. It's not about politics any longer. It's about morality. Thailand doesn't give a damn about who you will vote for in another country, so it's comfortable to be an extremist for both sides.

I just completed this quiz. My Score 40/100 My Time 77 seconds  

No, not taken for granted. Simply as 'disposible.' Or perhaps 'interchangeable.' Thais want foreigners for the tourist trade. Give us the money then go home. There is no need to thank you as you are expected to 'give.' While we do hear the occasional thanks from food servers when we leave a tip, we don't hear it so much when we go out of our way to help. I can't count the times I've been asked by Thai friends for a favor, performed the favor, then never heard another word. I don't know if they treat each other this way.

If one isn’t getting the right comments or lead-ins from others, simply use your other account and ask away! Easy!

We had Chinese (Guangdong ) style Beef with Black Bean Sauce over faux rice. Gotta love Keto variety! 🙂

If this is from the same source as your comment about Keto... with all due respect, are you familiar with Kwashiorkor? Kwashiorkor is a fatal medical condition that results from severe protein deficiency. It most commonly affects children in developing countries with high levels of poverty and food insecurity. And no... peanuts don't make you fat. My diet is almost 80% fat... and I haven't been fat since 2019.

Interesting comment. Would you state why you think it won't work long-term? It's been five years so far. How long is long?

I've followed the Keto lifestyle for the past five years. If we really want to get our bodies functioning comfortably, we need to cut out all sugars and starches (which break down to sugar.) After the first week, you'll notice the difference. Little things... like there's no more pain in your knee when you get out of bed in the morning, or your hands when you tie your shoes. Body inflammation decreases quickly on Keto. At dinner, you realize you feel full... but not bloated. It's rather pleasant! It's a bit of a bother here in Asia, with all the rice and noodle dishes in restaurants, but it's not all that difficult to maintain. I eat in restaurants several times a week. Cooking at home, there are substitutes for rice, noodles, and even Keto bread that tastes like bread! When done right, it's a very effective weight loss method. I went from a 48" waistline back to the 32" I had in college. And have kept it for the past four years. I play sports 3-4 days a week so lots of energy, even at 78.

The irony, lol.

Oh, so very much! A little research shows that you have posted 2600 times here in 9 years, and I have made 5700 posts here in 18 years. Roughly the same for you as me... 🙂 Kettle?

Attention whores on the Internet. These days, the computer has become a central entertainment device in most homes. It's a shame such a powerful tool for information, communication, and entertainment has to get overrun with people whose personal self-worth is based on getting 'likes' from complete strangers. For some of these, it doesn't even have to be 'likes.' Any response, even negative ones, reinforces their self-worth. Current events in the Middle East don't affect my life here in Thailand. Even the political nonsense going on in the US today will really have very little effect on the rest of my life (Hey, we've only got a few more years, right?) What does affect my day-to-day life here is the Internet. It's a shame to see it getting clogged up with nonsense just because some people need to have others react to them, regardless if it's a positive or negative reaction... just so there is SOME reaction to them. It's graffiti. 'Hey, Mom! Look at meeee!'

With several different identities, it becomes quite easy. My question is how does he keep straight under which name to post?

Unless your shape at 80k looks like you're hiding a basketball under your shirt, you sound like you are actually not in 'such' bad condition. Yes, you're a few kilo overweight... but not so much. You could take that off in a few months if you cared to. At least your stomach doesn't enter the room 60 seconds before the rest of you gets there. I see so many guys looking like that today. I'm pushing 78yrs, weigh 71 kilo, and my blood pressure, unless sick, is ALWAYS around 120/70, give or take 10 points. I eat a very high-fat diet (80% fat, 15% protein, and 5% carbs,) and use a LOT of salt in my diet, adding it to most foods, and have done so for many, many years. I have serious questions about relying upon the 70yr-old anecdotal nutrition guidelines we learned when we were in elementary school, preferring the more modern peer-reviewed scientific studies being done these days. You sound as if you are pretty healthy. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.