thaibeachlovers

Other than pointing out you don't have to pay large for the dinner- can go to ordinary resto ( never got the point of paying large to eat with people I don't know, but up to you ) have you considered that they have to make as much as possible in high season to tide them over the low season? Nothing unusual about that.

Have you considered that they WANT you to have to jump through hoops if you don't qualify for a non O? Once upon a time they wanted us to stay in LOS, but no longer, IMO.

I used second class sleeper and slept most of the trip. Speed wasn't a priority, and scenery was. No matter how many train trips south I made I always enjoyed them. I really loved traveling by train in LOS. All part of the rich tapestry of Thai life.

but apparently never learned much in those "many times". I once stayed in a Pattaya guest house co owned by 3 farangs. One of them told me he did so because it was like owning a brothel ( they had a gaggle of girls that "worked" there ). Last time I saw him he was getting dragged out onto the street and beaten up by the one that was "the boss". I don't think the "boss's" Thai wife was impressed by her husband's actions making her lose face, as next time I went back there, the "boss" and the other part owner were gone.

In Thailand Rule #1/ never invest in or buy property. Rule #2/ ( applies in any country ) never employ ( or work for ) friends or relations.

Thailand has thousands of wonderful places to live that are not like Phuket.

Ain't it amazing how easily people are seduced into becoming slaves to the machine.....................

555555555555555 I had an Oyster card in London, and a Bee card here. I use real money to load them. Next.

LOL. Phuket is about the worst place in LOS, even worse than Samui, IMO. Pattaya may not be the bee's knees, but the taxi mafia doesn't rule there.

Those that haven't swallowed the BS have good reason to not want to be tracked.

Soooo, why don't I want 100% cashless? I don't want to be at the mercy of the banks, which have done nothing to make me trust them. I don't want to depend on a device that can stop working or get lost. I don't want to live in a world where criminal hackers are more clever than the ones on the "good side" ( crime pays better ). I don't want to depend on a piece of plastic that can get broken easily, or just stop working. I do want to feel that I have some control over my own life. All you believers can go get a chip implanted in your brain if that's what you want, but I'll pass on the Brave New World. Baaaaa.

That's always been on my list of favourite songs since first time I heard it. Very sad.

Here's a classic from Father Ted. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=depressing+song+father+ted#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:fc9b7e6f,vid:fnZDI1slxMI

Where do people get the idea that there will be no nurses at all? Presumably from those that want nurses to remain underpaid and exploited. Emergency cover is provided to save those that have a heart attack in hospital.

When I joined it was for a certain number of years, but that was changed to stay till retiring age or resign with 3 or 12 month option. The taxpayer paid a great deal of money to train me to a high standard of my trade, so it's a pity they treated me like <deleted> very badly so I wanted to leave. I would have stayed in if they had valued me and treated me properly. I enjoyed the life style, but too much bullying from senior NCOs.

Same in NZ. Could get out in 3 months or 12 months ( when I resigned ). No need to pay anything. Better conditions if take 12 months option. In both cases put on the reserve so can be called back in the event of war.

I didn't get the emojis you used. I prefer this one as no confusion what it means

Nurses are no more an essential service than firefighters, and I don't see you complaining about them striking. It's not currently illegal for them to go on strike anyway, so they can. They are not going to "let them die"- stop making stuff up. They will have a skeleton service to ensure that patients don't die, but routine tests and operations won't happen. Unless things have changed since I left the NHS, agency nurses are not used in the NHS. That's why they recruited in Africa when I was in the NHS- they had to join the NHS as permanent staff. I used to be agency myself, and the idea that I could have earned £2,500 per shift is a very bad joke. That might be for some super specialised nurse, but not for most. Nurses have been exploited and underpaid probably as long as nurses were paid, because they are mainly female- it's sad to see some people think that situation should continue. If the NHS paid them what they are worth they would not be going on strike.

I'm glad you put a "could be" in that. I expect nothing much to be found, given they were audited before, or are some claiming the IRS ignores crime?

Thin end of the wedge. Starts with this and ends up with sharia law.

Mutawa

Just listening to my collection of sad songs and heard this classic tear jerker. The Brothers Four Green Fields Once there were greenfields kissed by the sun once there were valleys, where rivers used to run. once there were blue skies, with white clouds high above. once they were part of an everlasting love. we were the lovers who strolled through green fields. green fields are gone now, parched by the sun. gone from the valleys, where rivers used to run. gone with the cold wind, that swept into my heart. gone with the lovers, who let their dreams depart. where are the green fields, that we used to roam? i'll never know what, made you run away. how can i keep searching when dark clouds hide the day. i only know there's, nothing here for me. nothing in this wide world, left for me to see. still i'll keep on waiting, until you return. i'll keep on waiting, until the day you learn. you can't be happy, while your heart's on the roam, you can't be happy until you bring it home. home to the green fields, and me once again.

It's generally their choice not to ally with a nuclear armed state ( or because they are so toxic that no decent country wants them in the "club" ), so why is it our responsibility to protect them?

55555555555555555555 At 13 I was reading Alan Quartermain and Sanders books. An age that never existed but should have.

That movie was vile IMO. I'd have no problem with it being eliminated from existence.