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25 minutes ago, stevenl said:

The world is slowly locking down again, people can't return. Many are forced to cancel their holiday plans.

Yes, but many looked at the quarantine, closures, constant rule changes, and didn't book in the first place.

In my first job after leaving white Scotland (mid 70's when even an Englishman was a rarity outside of the pretty bits) I referred to my supervisor as a <deleted>.  My experience of other nationalities was severely limited - mainly to takeaway food - and I had no idea that it was any more offensive than calling me a Jock.  He wouldn't take an explanation or an apology.  I got hauled to personnel, black mark on my record, and a lecture.  I got a bit prejudiced right there and then.  

Sorry, but most tourists - not returning expats or business - finalised their travel arrangements months before Omicron reared its head.  I doubt if it's affecting tourist numbers much at all.

Quarantine, bar closures and no nightlife, now that has definitely affected tourist numbers.

Some "sex tourists" fall in love with the country, find a good woman and settle down, spending their pensions and savings here.

Maybe they should quack it.

This seems to have been premature unfortunately.  Nothing has come from the official side.  I'm hoping that so many open that they can't be closed.  ????

Omicron.  One person in the UK has died WITH it.  Note, they're not saying OF it.  He was apparently diagnosed in hospital, so he was already in there for something.

They aren't giving us the full story.  Heart issues, head issues, liver, ........ tripped and broke his neck?  They're being careful not to say that Omicron killed him.

I pooh pooh'd the conspiracy theories for a long time, but I've come to believe that governments, here and abroad, have come to enjoy the control that Covid has given them.  It's a real disease and kills people, but it's come to be an excuse too.

Back to Thailand and this thread, the PM (who is the only person who matters really) seems to have come to the conclusion that the country needs to open, and that includes bars.  I can't see things going backwards without something major happening.   By 16 Jan, if anything is still closed, it'll be only GoGo's in my uninformed opinion. 

Or I could be completely wrong.  It happens.

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Can't you wait a day or two for the details.... don't get all in a lather looking for gremlins.

Papers asking the same thing;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10305417/Fury-lack-transparency-UKs-Omicron-death-victim-fully-jabbed-vulnerable.html

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yep... why not wait and see. A death is a loss any way.

Yes, it's a loss, but it's being used to help justify more controls.  Surely we should be told if it was someone who tested +ve for Omicron, but died of something else, or someone killed by Omicron?  These are very different things.  Being suspicious, I think it's the first one, if he'd died of Covid, it would be all over the news, in detail.

5 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Well, there has been 1 death from Omicron with millions infected, so now we all must now panic. Makes sense to me???

I've been looking for info on this death.  Was it an 18-year-old athlete, or a 90-year-old with several chronic conditions?  I'm guessing the latter, because if it was the former, they'd be using that as ammunition in the fear war.

5 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

Then you won't get the updated personal allowance or the transferred spouse allowance and you won't be able to check if you have paid the correct tax?

Not correct about the check, log into gov.uk and your tax records are all there, you can claim refunds with a click if any are due.  The site used to be a nightmare, but has got a lot better over the last few years.

Whatever you do, if they ask you to fill in a Tax Return, do it, even if you have no UK income at all.  Serious cost - and possible investigation - if you don't.  Failing to file a Return and failure to pay tax are 2 separate offences and you can be guilty of the first even if you have no tax to pay.  It's fairly easy online unless you've complex finances and tells you instantly what you need to pay and why.

Me, I'm slightly shafted; income is State Pension + Government Pension, all taxed at source.  OK, no Tax Return, but no State Pension annual increases either.  ????

Just to add, if you're under retirement age, remember to look into National Insurance, do you have enough years in for a full pension?  If not, it may be worth keeping contributions going to ensure that.  All on the Gov.uk website.

1 hour ago, connda said:

"What we have achieved so far is to declare that cannabis stems, roots, leaves and sprigs are not drugs. Starting next year, we'll remove everything — stems, roots, sprigs, leaves, buds, flowers and seeds — from the narcotics list," he said.

So buds, flowers, and seeds are can be harvested by citizen who applies for a permit to grow it. There may still be a "catch" but it seems they are starting down the road of "decriminalization." 

Once you've harvested seeds, "pot" plants are easy to grow.

I haven't used this, forgive me if this is basic.

Do I just open my banking app and scan the QR code the vendor shows me?

It'll be back, big as ever.  But.  Even in the bar areas, it'll be much less "in your face".  More closed-door bars, less outdoor loud music and scantily clad girls touting their bars.

The government doesn't care about what goes on, as long as it doesn't tarnish the image of Thailand.

3 hours ago, champers said:

Is that still there? A new hotel; open I think; has taken up a lot of space at that location.

Gone.

20 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I thought bridge and darts have both been illegal in LOS for years. I remember seeing a story of the BiB's arresting old folks for playing that dastardly bridge game, and around the same time all bars were required to remove the dart boards.

They'd have taken pool tables too, if they could have fitted them into their truck.  Must have a bigger truck now for all these heinous machines.  ????

1 hour ago, rwill said:

So in the second photo that persons gate will be way below the road.

Thier job is to make a road that doesn't get flooded.  Anything else is not their concern and they'd be surprised to be questioned on it.  TIT  ????

If they ask you to do it, do it.  These people can be petty and <deleted> your life up if they think you're not respecting their authority.