realfunster

Yep, I don’t think anyone was really buying that twenty-something lad as being the owner..

Some “approved” pharmacies have it in stock as do most, if not all, hospitals. The pharmacies will be cheaper than buying at a private hospitals by a margin. You will indeed likely need a prescription. Typically, you will find such large/approved pharmacies in the vicinity of Government hospitals. Government became concerned on mis-use, so a while back stopped smaller clinics and pharmacies giving it directly to patients.

Not surprising at the moment, young people are probably seeking some stability and security after the last couple of years. Tourism has taken a massive hit, there has been mass redundancies across the industry and it is still in the early stages of its recovery. It might take another 1-2 years before it is seen as a stable form of employment. Once the tourists return for a consistent period and in large numbers, I think it will become attractive again to potential employees.

That last statement is meaningless, 2017 & 2018 were in "normal" times. Hardly a celebratory matter to have an economy recovering at a snail's pace from COVID. The World Bank has already downgraded the 2022 forecast to 2.9% as well. So, with a -6.2% contraction in 2020, only 1.6% growth in 2021 and let's say 2.0%+ growth in 2022, it's going to be (at a minimum) 2023 before we return to pre-covid GDP and quite possibly this could slip into 2024. With regards to the old chestnut about the importance of tourism to GDP, I find it challenging to reconcile the overall 2020 and 2021 GDP numbers (when international tourism was largely non-existent and with other significant negative impacts on the Thai economy) to a hugely significant tourism GDP contribution. So either the GDP numbers are fudged or international tourism is not the 10+% of GDP that it is claimed to be...

Agreed. Who knows how any of us would react in that situation, with fire and explosions, but I am relatively astonished at the inactivity of bystanders as disorientated people stumble quite far out of the exit door actually on fire with no assistance given.....

It's an absolute disgrace that Thailand are indirectly legitimising the existence of an independent Taiwanese state by providing scheduled air services there ! A disgrace I tell you. Please China, don't accept this kind of public and international disrespect for your intentions to re-annex land that is rightfully yours and urgently put in place some broad economic sanctions and/or ban sale of military hardware to Thailand. If you want to flex your military muscles more openly, some live-fire naval exercises in the gulf of Thailand should do the trick to get the message through. The Thais are currently defenceless whilst they are still waiting for their submarines.

Very true. Equally true is.. “crimes like these could not be perpetrated without the culture of mindless compliance, over respect for “authority/superiors” and lack of critical thinking drummed into the populace from childhood.”

It was a flight from Don Muang to Chian Rai, doubtful it was a four hour flight ? I can't see four hours mentioned anywhere in the linked article, where do you get that from ?

Just what I was going to mention, they have the same ridiculous fluctuating speed signs down the Motorway number 7 from Bangkok to Pattaya.

Well, I suppose it makes a change from the usual TV guesswork and speculation on the murder case at hand. I reckon many TVers are probably more expert in the field of augmented bosoms…

Ah, I see

Usual suspects putting mileage into this thread. It’s the beginning of the end for COVID, it’s time to move on with reasonable, rather than neurotic precautions. Very happy to have my post judged by “the future” and state that based on current evidence and future outcomes yet to be seen…COVID is moving to endemic…

Bangkok is a large place, an approximate location might generate more and better answers for you!

What battle ? If he wants a battle he can return home and fight for what he wants for the people of Thailand. I suggest he hasn't got the stomach for that and prefers enjoying his billions in the comfort of Dubai...yet another member of the Thai oligarchy, who somehow, as a humble policeman from Chiang Mai, was very happy to accept a national mobile communications concession from the powers that be. My dog could have turned that opportunity into a successful business. I vote 'none of the above'. Root and branch change is needed.

What do you mean “you folks” - oh, I see, straight into a binary discussion and polarization of differing opinions. I am actually triple vacced and take sensible but not neurotic precautions. You are pigeonholing me straight away based on one post. COVID has been a serious global health issue, I am pointing out it is not a serious global health issue anymore - it’s time to move on. BTS ridership is at the highest level since pre-pandemic and anyone in Bangkok can tell you that traffic levels are getting back to pre-pandemic levels also, it seems most people also feel it is time to get on with life and the global and Thai mortality statistics bear this out… There is absolutely no correlation between road deaths and COVID and no one has ever said there is, what can be drawn is a comparison in individual/government response for an ongoing twenty year road death crisis in Thailand and people monotonously fixating over what is now an endemic disease. You can also extend the analysis and state factually that driving is now 3x more likely to kill any of us than COVID, so I look forward to the neurotics out there analyzing the hell out of the road death data. It’s time to move on..

At one stage, during darker days with COVID, I found your statistical analysis interesting and informative, Appreciate your efforts but frankly it is not useful anymore and it just rings of scaremongering, we are entering the end game.... Researching and presenting statistics on a daily increase from 15-30 deaths a day is meaningless. From the OP : From July 5-17, the average number of ventilator-dependent patients increased from 300 per day to 369 per day while the average number of daily fatalities increased from 16 to 21. so around 25%-30% of daily road deaths....look forward to the detailed government statistics and actions on that.. Dr Opas also reported an increase in fatalities among the elderly and those with underlying diseases who received their third COVID vaccination dose more than three months ago. yes, we know about risks for elderly & comorbidities after 2.5 years of COVID. Average age of "COVID" death in UK is >80. Detailed information readily available on UK government website from March 2020-present date. The DDC director-general said people infected with the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants reported experiencing sore throat, irritation and muscle and body aches. He advised those exhibiting any of the symptoms to test themselves immediately and seek medical care at their nearest hospital. I see, that might just explain the increase in hospital admissions might it not ? A typically over-cautious Thai public servant advising presenting yourself to hospital even if no or mild symptoms ?...Pre-COVID has anyone else experienced the cultural difference between a Western and Thai doctor ? Go home, take some paracetamol and lie down for a few days vs let me prescribe you 6 different medicines and admit you to hospital ? One Thai doctor even tried to admit me once for a sore throat, once he saw my health insurance would pay out... The end is nigh, global COVID deaths...

Of course, must protect the trough !

Oh, would be so nice if I could get away with these sort of <deleted> forecasts at work... Meanwhile in the thread immediately below this on the news page "TAT’s marketing plan 2023 to revitalise Thai tourism towards high value and sustainable growth". 30 million pax doesn't sound like a target which fits with a 'high value and sustainable' strategy to me...

It's certainly popular at the moment - when I occasionally pop into the sticks, I have started noticing some industrial scale durian farms being constructed replete with water pumps and spray systems. Let's hope the Chinese haven't bored of durian by the time the trees actually produce some fruit !

Total fail straight off the bat - just looking at Khun Noppawan is giving me impure thoughts !

“…needing hospitalization.”

Regrettably, as it was a lengthy 300m drive from his taxi rank to the police station, the standard charge of THB 400 was applied to the wallet en route.

Can Thammanat deliver death blow to teetering govt in censure debate? Allegedly….

True, but do we know who is behind this move ? Maybe they are even more influential or even amongst, ahem, the most influential people…

From the linked article : “He also said that the government hopes that this measure will increase the number of foreigners owning residences in Thailand to about one million” Once I had finished rolling around on the floor, I attempted to drink my coffee but even several minutes after reading this, I still spat it all over my desk. Absolutely hilarious but also so very sad that these incompetents are in charge….