JonnyF

I think once you've factored in the difference in flight costs the Greek islands are still WAY cheaper. Actually food and drink over there is really cheap. Spain also, great bottles of wine for 5 quid, huge dishes of Paella for the same. Not sure about Italy but I guess it depends where in Italy you are. Certainly the European sun, sea, sand type resorts are a lot cheaper than the likes of Phuket where you're looking at 1000 Baht for a bottle of poor quality white wine (if they even have it and will sell it to you) and 500 Baht for a 2 minute ride in a TukTuk. I think social media has really exposed the failings in the Thai tourism industry.

It's about controlling the language. Once you accept these terms, they'll create more and try to force them on you. It will never be enough. The over-reach will never end. Same as we used to have to say coloured people. Now, that's incredibly offensive. We have to say people of colour which apparently is fine. Once we all get used to that, they'll move the goalposts again and force us to use another term. It's about keeping us on our toes. They say jump, we say how high. If we object, we will be labeled fascists and be forced to defend ourselves against that accusation, taking our attention away from the debate at hand. Control the language, control the masses.

Check your change. I did a bike trip there a few years back. Filled up the tank around 20 times. Got shortchanged about 17 of those 20. By the end of the trip, it was getting a bit tiring pointing out to them that I could count. I probably enjoyed Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang the most, although to be honest I was glad to return to Thailand after 4 weeks there.

Nice way for Broad to finish his career. Hopefully the Aussies play according to the spirit of the game next time around.

I think the photo in the OP gives a huge clue as to why tourism has slowed. Compare that scene to Koh San Road now with the traffic bollards and the ban on traders etc. The joy has been sucked out of the place, as it has with many other tourist areas with the early closing of night life, bans on various things like vaping, alcohol free days etc. By trying to sanitize Thailand they have removed much of what made it such a great place for a holiday. Why would I travel 12 hours to sit on a dirty beach where I am not allowed to vape, cannot get a beer from 711 at 3pm etc. when I can hop over to the Greek islands and do all those things on cleaner beaches, much quicker and much cheaper? Sure they can rely on the Chinese, until the next Phuket boat disaster goes viral or the CCP decide they want people to holiday domestically and the backside drops out of the market overnight.

Great idea. Maybe they could destroy all buildings owned by people who have a different view to you? How "progressive"...

All you need to get attention in Nana is to ring the bell at the bar (the ones that state you are buying drinks for the girls only) or buy a big bowl of ping pong balls and hurl them at the stage. The girls will literally be screaming. They're not stupid, in fact they are very pragmatic. They are there for the money, not for some fairytale dream of marrying a Hollywood movie star with a black belt in Karate.

You're right, but you're wasting your time. The Doomsday cult has made up it's mind. The earth's constantly changing climate over millions of years has nothing to do with it. It's all due to Somchai in his diesel pickup truck. Now, live your life as they tell you (no more holidays for you, private jets for them) and hand over your money (because as long as you pay to pollute it's all OK). This is about control and money, nothing else.

Not only highly educated but also benevolent. At least that's what the brouchure says. The evidence does seem to imply something very different though. ????

Oh I get it. The "Liberals" are prepared to accept a senile old man who can barely walk without falling over and thinks the Queen is still alive simply because he isn't Donald Trump. The fact that he is their best chance of defeating Trump only demonstrates the dearth of talent in US politics. I mean, Trump is such an idiot you'd think they could put a Ginuea Pig against him and get a landslide victory.

I was invited to Thailand by the UK company that I was employed by who had heavily invested in setting up factories on the Eastern seaboard under the BOI scheme. I hardly think the millions and millions of Baht in income tax that I have paid over the last 17 years have created many issues. Neither has the Bangkok condo that I purchased or the 10+ locally made vehicles. Nor the hundreds of Thais that are employed by the company.

Last time I went to Nana you'd be hard pushed to find a girl under 30. What's that Aussie saying? "Never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn..."? This type of narrative sells well to the pearl clutching hand wringers in the well to do Sydney suburbs.

Biden isn't Trump. That's literally the only reason millions of Amercians vote for him. It's a sad state of affairs over there.

I would agree. Liberal/progressive is a very poor description of many on the Left. Just as conservative is a very poor description of many on the Right. That's the (very obvious) problem when you allow groups or individuals to label themselves, they often choose labels that reflect what they wish to be viewed as rather than what they actually are.

I agree with everything you said. Except you forgot to put "liberals" in inverted commas. They are anything but liberal. They are deeply authoritarian, hiding behind a facade of benevolence. They are a huge threat to liberty.

I got stopped at 4am on Friday morning by a large road block featuring about 10 cops. They were breathalizing people but for some reason they took one look at me and waved me through. This was on Rachada Ramintra Road. I often do that route at that time and it's the first time they've been there. So I reckon they were taking it a bit more seriously.

I'm actually impressed that he remembered that he forgot. Maybe he's on some new medication? Or maybe one of his flunkies whispered in his ear...

TAT can rename them Hum Hums.

Bearing in mind the individuals involved, I can see some double crossing. Here are 2 possibilities. 1. They promise to pardon him then leave him locked up for years on technicalities. 2. They pardon him and then he reneges on his promise to back the Army when released. Many other possibilities for a stitch up on either side. Oh what a tangled web we weave...

Interesting to see Democrat Spacey cleared on all charges. Despite practically admitting it in his own statement after being charged. Gates and Clinton also never charged for their trips on Lolita express with Epstein to his island. Obviously nothing in it though.

Great news. I mean who cares if you can't pay your mortgage and lose your house due to high interest rates when news like this is released?

Reminds me of teenage girls trying to annoy their parents.

Farage is doing a great job. The banks clients political views are none of their business. Alison Rose's virtue signalling has backfired bigtime. Her career is in tatters, the liar. And people wonder why others don't want to go to a cashless society. So they take away cash first and then arbitrarily close your account if you don't adhere to the "correct" political viewpoint. Essentially unpersoning you for wrongthink. I hope Farage sues the lot of them.

Germany, the powerhouse and largest economy in the EU being the slowest. ???? You should really do some research before posting this type of drivel. https://www.ft.com/content/af5820bf-0af6-4228-8223-4cb79cc5a6d6

Crystal Ball stuff. The IMF consistently underestimates UK growth. They're a laughing stock where it comes to UK predictions. 3 whole % out in 2021. I posted the real figures above. So tell me, where is the cliff edge that Project Fear hyped up? Didn't happen, did it... https://www.cityam.com/why-have-the-bank-of-england-and-the-imf-been-so-wrong-on-the-uk-economy-a/ https://theboar.org/2023/02/uk-growth/