thaibeachlovers

I watched the Bruce Lee movie last night. I had already seen it before, but called "Fist of Fury". Anyway, a real "back to the past" buzz. The acting was rubbish, the action amazing, the dubbed soundtrack awful ( I preferred them in Chinese with subtitles back in the 70s when I was living in Singapore and watched a lot of Raymond Chow Kung <deleted> movies- great movies those, but the DVD I bought didn't have the subtitle option ). True to the norm, in the end the hero dies ( in some of those Kung <deleted> movies everyone died at the end! ) Lee was fantastic with the nunchucks ( I can remember when nunchuck scenes were cut from movies I saw in NZ ). All in all a worth while movie experience. LOL, LOL, LOL. The forum software deleted the F-u from Kung F-u

Except when they want you to redo the documents in black. I used to use photocopies to avoid filling in a new form every year, but I doubt they would be acceptable now.

??????????????? I never said they wanted to die. I said the relatives reaction to death was more accepting than what would happen in a western country. NOT the same thing.

After this is all over, some serious questions need to be answered as to why nearly 2 years into a pandemic, staffing is inadequate for a forseeable surge in cases. They have had way more time than needed to recruit and train enough nurses, though Drs would be more of a problem as they require many years of education. I'm not referring to registered nurses that take 3 years to train, but to LPNs in the US and Enrolled nurses in Britain. That applies to other western countries too.

I never said it's OK. Please stick to what I actually said and stop claiming to know what I'm thinking. You don't.

While it may change in due course, I've been waiting for some time for the much discussed "wave" of omicron in NZ, but so far it seems to be reluctant to spread far. I even took the precaution of avoiding contact with friends so as not to be accused of giving it to them, but it's been so long without it appearing in this community that I've given up on waiting and returned to normal life, if life now can be considered to be "normal".

At the risk of being accused of being "non caring" it's called "survival of the fittest". I don't wish to get into an argument as to the morality of allowing people to die or not, and I'm NOT advocating putting people on ice floes to be eaten by polar bears; just pointing out what is IMO nature's way of keeping species healthy.

Given that a karaoke could start up next door at any time, that could be difficult to avoid. I lived next to a large swamp in Lamphun but could still hear the karaokes from the far side, and my next door neighbour started a boxing school in his home, so we had that noise to contend with. IMO noise is part of the fabric of LOS. Learn to live with it or leave.

You are, IMO, quite correct in your assumptions, but I doubt that will stop certain posters coming up with reasons why you are wrong and should conform to the dictat, else be branded a menace to society. Seems to me there isn't much compromising going on, from either side of the debate. I'll probably be attacked just for supporting you.

Indeed. I knew few expats that would have stayed there a minute longer than necessary if not for the LARGE wages. It was so bad that even the LARGE wages couldn't make me stay. Beautiful country and the Bedouin were lovely people, but otherwise............................................

Taking passports is normal procedure there, for all expats, far as I know. All expat workers in the hospital I worked at had to hand over our passports soon as arrived.

Far as I know, and in my experience passports are always taken and a Saudi document called an igama is issued. They know how to make it difficult to run.

Would that not be somewhat difficult................. in Thailand?

Exactly. Rent, rent, rent is the way to go IMO.

I never had any desire to stay in Pai, but there are some great restaurants on the eastern approach. Very pretty scenery to enjoy while eating. There were a couple of romantic spots where couples in "love" could have photos taken beside large "hearts" or suchlike.

IMO the problem with riding a bike to Pai/ MHS is that parts of the route are very sparsely populated so if you get a puncture or break down for any reason it could be difficult getting assistance. For that reason alone I'd drive a car. If you do use the bike watch out for the vans. They have a bad reputation for speeding.

How on earth would I know that? The NHS is free, which makes up for a lot of sins. As usual though, outcome is entirely dependent on the GP. I had some NHS GPs that were completely useless and some that were good and one that was excellent. I worked in a lot of London hospitals as an agency nurse, and can't say I was impressed by any, but that was down to the management culture IMO. The biggest problem that I saw while a patient was that the ward was filthy. The shower wasn't cleaned properly for a week, and they managed to miss the dirt under the beds. Other problems as well, but not going to post a list now.

Both. IMO the only advantage of the NHS is that it is free. IMO it's just as hard to see a consultant in the NHS as it is in NZ. However, that's for minor problems. For serious problems the NHS is probably better than Thailand, and certainly better in my experience than NZ. NZ seems to have a problem finding or funding enough GPs, and since covid restrictions stopped nurses from overseas working in NZ, there is ( apparently ) a shortage of nurses working in hospitals, though there were plenty when I went for my vax jab. I asked one and she didn't normally work in a public hospital so seems they recruited nurses outside the public health system to do the jabs. NB I had no personal experience of the Thai public health service other than a talk with a consultant in Chiang Mai. I had to wait many hours to see a consultant, but I had a good book and when I did get to see him he solved my problem in 5 minutes, where the NZ GP misdiagnosed me and didn't refer me to a consultant. I had the problem for years till I saw the consultant in Chiang Mai. Normally I went to the private hospital in Lamphun, and have no complaints about the service there. A common thread throughout my life experience of western GPs was misdiagnosis.

Indeed the NZ health service is anything but "free". Don't even have discounts for pensioners. I pay the same as some guy earning thousands a month. Even then, I get 10 minutes and never get to discuss all my problems at one time. So my GP sees me for 10 minutes every 6 months. No time for advice on healthy living/ eating etc. No wonder so many Kiwis are obese and unhealthy, as those most in need of medical help/ advice are most likely not to be able to afford it, IMO. I miss Thailand for so many reasons. Dental was superior in LOS as well.

Not at the moment, but picked up The Chinese Connection ( Bruce Lee ), and Lone Wolf and Cub ( Samurai movie from the golden days of Samurai movies ) DVDs at an op shop, so that's my night entertainment to look forward to.

Reminds me of the Mork and Mindy episode when Mork thinks Mindy is being attacked by the novelty slippers she was wearing, and tries to rescue her from them.

You enjoy disaster movies? Here's a hint. Learn to speak Chinese.

I can only recommend my personal choice. Obviously others will have different priorities. I'd live in Chaloklum. I'd rather live in Than Sadet, but it's too difficult to get from there to town for actually living in rather than visiting. ( unless they paved the road and I can't see that happening ). Depending on the development in the years since I was last on Phangan, it was the last Thai island with good facilities that hadn't been completely ruined, like Samui, Tao, Samet, Big Koh Chang, Phi Phi, Lanta. Too many paradises lost in LOS IMO.

If I were in LOS I'd not be putting much faith in a test that might result in me having to pay to be isolated in some hotel at my own expense. There has been a fair amount of discussion regarding such on other subforums. I'd be avoiding taking the chance, UNLESS I had symptoms or was required to have one for some reason that I could not avoid.

I wasn't aware that immunity only referred to a virus caused illness. As you know, antibiotics were not around for several hundred years after the Black Death, so how else would those that survived have done so if not immune? Anyway, the topic isn't the Black Death, so I'll leave it at that. Reply if you wish.