bamboozled

I think that abandoned building 500m down Changklan and right onto a soi has been....wait for it.....refurbished! I could be wrong and I might have your soi wrong but I do remember a big graffiti covered shell that it seemed they used for rappelling or something. Anyway, driving by there a few weeks ago I was looking for that building and what I saw was a fixed up one. I could have been out of my tree, though. I will have to check again. I did eyeball that round rest. many a time and wonder. I didn't realize it had been demolished. The cobra story seems hard to believe. I mean, wouldn't he have cried out? But what do I know?? Thank you for the info!

I get that. But if those people are traipsing around Bkk they are spreading it, too. Just like they would in another province. It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul, it seems. If you're saying the leaders of each province want their province sealed off, I can understand it but it doesn't seem like it would change the overall rate of infection. Access to medical care makes some sense. I guess my main thought is infected people are going to infect or not infect other people no matter where they are. If they are in contact with more people because of travel, that would make some sense. But how much more contact does one have staying in a hotel than going about one's daily life...shopping, walking on the street, eating in a restaurant?

I was just thinking about the subject in the title and I feel I'm missing something as to the efficacy of the ban. I know the ban is not enforced so much but I was passing through the checkpoint in Chiang Mai and so it came up. I understand they want to keep the Covid numbers down. But if a sick person goes out and infects others, or vice-versa, what does it matter if it's in the same province in which the person lives or in a neighboring province? If you have 100,000 sick in Bkk and zero in CM or 75,000 in Bkk and 25,000 in CM, is it not the same? A province is just a line drawn in the sand. Is it just for statistical purposes? Or is it similar to the alcohol ban....when drinking alcohol you get rowdier and flaunt the distancing regs....and when traveling, sort of a similar thing happens? What aren't I understanding? Cheers, Bam

Does anyone know when the movie theater was shut down across the intersection from Pantip Plaza? Has anyone ventured in there and poked around? Must be fascinating. It saddens me to think it has just been left there to rot when in my mind it could have been a great attraction given the location. But I suppose all those old theaters were abandoned because they weren't a draw anymore. Amazing it just sits there year after year...

Me, too! I lived very close to YMCA for 4 years and frequented the shop often. Now, I live a bit further away so don't get there as much BUT our posts here inspired me to go for lunch today. I did not bring my phone to take pics of my BEAUTIFUL fish and shrimp pii-set jok with two eggs but it was divine. 3 big shrimp, a plethora of white snapper (as they reference it), thick/rich jok, and a sprinkling of ginger and spring onion on top. And the aforementioned 2 soft-boiled eggs. It was wonderful. The cost for that was 105 baht. But a regular size jok with pork dumplings is only 35 baht. I don't think that's more than Somphet and either way pretty darn cheap. You can add egg, pork, chicken, fish, shrimp, fish and shrimp, crispy pork, innards....you name it. Gong and wife (forgot her name) were as friendly and welcoming as ever. They are just really good people that care about their rest. and customers. Awesome.

Quite popular because delicious. Landlord bumped the rent way up and forced them out thus the move just down the street. I'm not sure about the prices between the two rest. but if it's true, the difference is what, 5 or 10 baht? Their jok is far better than Jok Somphet, in my opinion. Somphet is watery. Santitham Breakfast is thick and rich. And the people are lovely, family run place. Did you ever even get a smile at Jok Somphet? Yes, I am partial to the place because of a longstanding relationship of sorts I have with the owners but that aside, their food is really nice and the atmosphere of the place, too. The other offerings are also quite good and if you want a farang brekkie they can do that, too. That Vietnamese breakfast at the top of their FB page is tasty.

https://www.facebook.com/santithambreakfast In Santitham, the jok is awesome. Can get it with fish, too, my favorite. Gong and his wife are great.

Ah I got it....because the spokes go through the wheel and the head of the spoke is on the inside....air would escape through the spoke hole? Thank you for the info. Learning is fun!

What's the reason for putting a tube in a tubeless tire? I'm curious.

I'm thinking that soon enough they will let people in without quarantine that are double vaxed. If they want to reopen, how can they not? It doesn't make any logical sense to me (if double vaxed) unless just a money grab for hotels but it will put off far more people from coming than can be pocked from hotel/island quarantine. In my head, at least.

Well fer feks sake, I'm not leaving if that's what I'm walking into on re-entry. Thanks so much for providing so much info. When you say you "just" went through this...how recent is "just" since things can change quickly. Your story is the kind of thing I want to avoid and if it's that much hassle I can hold off on traveling abroad. Thank you!

It seems pretty straightforward. Thanks all, and to alw22 for starting the thread, double thanks! Bam

...and a lot more money.

Appreciate it, SW. I've imponed upon you to get info I prob could have found myself (like from CDC and State Dept. as you mention) but for laziness on my part. Thanks for not responding with "google is your friend". I know google can be my friend, of course, but so can chit-chatting strangers on social media which is the point of social media, me thinks. Cheers, Bam

Thanks so much, Skatewash. It seems easy enough though my sister is a little wary of having a non-vaxed in the house. Of course, I'd stop and get my first shot coming out of the airport but I could be contaminated on the plane. Have you done this recently, a trip to the US? As for the coming back part, I feel it's impossible to know what Thailand will require in a month or two. Cheers, Bam

Hmm, I might be flying to the US next month if I decide to make the trip. I haven't done the research yet on what is needed. If you care to share what you got up to/what's necessary, I'd be obliged. Is there any kind of quarantine necessary on the US end? I see a rapid antigen test and then check with the airline. That has to be done within 3 days of flying or something of the sort? Thank you, Bam

Thailand just but a huge amount of gold to shore up the banking...whatever that means exactly. But I think that news is today so it doesn't explain the past week of losses but would most likely make for a stronger baht, in my confused mind.

It's not you....it's the money that touches so many hands. My supplier that knows me well sprayed alcohol all over crisp, new bank notes. I would say you're digging too deep on this one and the Covid miasma is getting to you. All of us, of course.

I also have the Canon Pixma with the external tanks added by the shop. Those are easy to refill and cost effective. The cartridges do wear out, however, and cost 900 baht or so. At least that's what they tell me. Look, along with razors, printer cartridges in my opinion are a scam (pricing, I mean). They sell you the printer cheap, like they sell you a razor cheap, and gouge you with the refills.

The search function is pulling up Thai airways bankruptcy news so I'm asking anew. My current Sharp vacuum is not really sucking so well any longer. It's not all that old but I don't think they enjoy vacuuming in 40 degrees, for starters. Anyhow, has anyone had good luck recently with a vacuum purchase? I'm not going to go the Dyson route, that's way over my head price-wise. I saw a Phillips Cyclone which "looks" cool and I would hope/would imagine it is a good machine because the price tag is 13k. Not really keen on spending that much either. Is it a necessity, spending so much, for a decent vacuum? I guess I would be comfortable up to 6k but more than that seems, I don't know, a lot of bottles of beer or fish sauce. Any advice? Thanks all! Oh, I live in a mid-size house that is all open windows so very dirty, up here in Chiang Mai with all the soot in the air. I don't have carpets but a lot of things that collect dust on all sorts of surfaces, not just floors. Thank you!