TallGuyJohninBKK

Who writes this stuff? "Exclusive Lifestyle Privileges Await Members: The company proudly showcases the range of privileges designed to make members’ experiences seamless and luxurious, including: *The Elite Personal Assistant gold uniforms." So they want me to pay them some millions of Thai baht, so their staff can wear fancy looking gold uniforms??? The first item on their list of "benefits." And I'm supposed to feel good about that?

Safe to say they all were pretty far off the mark, including the larger shares of those types who died of COVID because of their mistaken beliefs along the way. Political party affiliation linked to excess COVID deaths "Today in JAMA Network Open, researchers published more evidence that personal political leanings may have contributed to excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research builds on previous work that has shown that right-wing "red" counties had higher death rates during the pandemic than more left-wing "blue" counties. The study looked at deaths in both Florida and Ohio during the first 22 months of the pandemic and found the overall excess death rate of Republican voters was 15% higher than that of Democrats. The gap widened further once COVID-19 vaccines were introduced." https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/political-party-affiliation-linked-excess-covid-deaths

I'd say you're right about that.... To detect a particular COVID variant one from another, they need to do genetic sequencing, which isn't exactly a run of the mill test. And, around the world, there's a whole lot less genetic sequencing going on now vs at the heights of the pandemic. The main point, though, regarding BA.2.86 is the scientists say it's probably the most highly mutated version of the COVID virus since the original outbreak, which they believe will enable it to better escape protections from prior COVID vaccinations or infections, which is concerning. But at least from what I've been reading lately, they HAVE NOT found any evidence yet that it causes more severe infections, or that in the real world it's more infectious -- although in theory it should be... Early days still, on this one.

This may be a bigger concern to worry about regarding a different and highly mutated COVID variant beginning to spread around the globe, including to Thailand: It's mentioned in the very final paragraph of the OP news report here: "As for the BA.2.86 sub-variant, he said that it was detected in waste water in Bangkok in July, but it has not been found in humans yet, although the sub-variant is being kept under watch." From other reports on the same topic: "Regarding the highly mutated BA.2.86 virus, which it recently deemed a variant of interest, the WHO said as of August 23, nine sequences have been reported from five countries. No epidemiological sequences were reported among the patients, and no deaths were reported. Also, two countries—Switzerland and Thailand—have reported the virus in wastewater." https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-markers-continue-rise-us-and-globally -------------------------------------- Covid Variant BA.2.86 Detected In Thailand Wastewater: Scientist By CodeBlue | 25 August 2023 KUALA LUMPUR, August 25 – The BA.2.86 variant has been detected in Thailand through wastewater sample analysis, adding to the list of countries that have reported the presence of the highly mutated Covid-19 strain. Dr Leshan Wannigama, a physician scientist at the Department of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control at Yamagata Prefectural Hospital in Japan, posted on X last Wednesday about his findings. “After sequencing the SARS-CoV-2 S gene and carefully analysing the data with existing BA.2.86 data I can confirm that our Thailand wastewater samples [are] positive for BA.2.86.” (more) https://codeblue.galencentre.org/2023/08/25/covid-variant-ba-2-86-detected-in-thailand-wastewater-scientist/ --------------------------------------- What you need to know about BA.2.86, the new ‘highly mutated’ COVID variant What is BA.2.86? The new, highly mutated "Pirola" variant may be more capable of causing infection in people who are vaccinated or previously had COVID-19, the CDC says. ... “The critical thing about this variant (BA.2.86) is that it has a whole host of mutations compared to some of the omicron variants that emerged about two years ago,” says Pekosz. The mutations or changes in the virus sequence can affect how contagious a virus is, how well it responds to treatment and how severely it affects people, per the CDC. “It represents a highly mutated form of SARS-CoV-2,” says Pekosz — in other words, BA.2.86 looks very different from the prevailing omicron XBB subvariants circulating." https://www.today.com/health/coronavirus/ba286-pirola-covid-variant-symptoms-rcna100944

I believe they're kind of like the Thai version of a credit union... except from everything I've read in the past, very loosely regulated or effectively not regulated here...and often seem to be the location for various financial misdeeds by the big wigs involved. This one from the OP was a shocker: "Loans to cooperatives totalled 940 billion baht, with half being classified as non-productive loans." Half???

From the OP: "Despite the Finance Ministry’s efforts to improve financial literacy regarding borrowing, finance, and debt management, the survey indicated a decline in financial literacy and access to financial services compared to 2020."

Also, the clothing worn by the women seated in the OP photo doesn't exactly look like the "luxury" type....

At BKK CW, they won't issue the CoR to you on the spot... You apply there, and if accepted, they'll mail it to you by EMS, usually within two weeks or less of your visit... But be aware, the DLT usually wants the CoR when you apply for a DL to be pretty recent. So you need to be careful how you time the issue date of your CoR and your visit to DLT.

I went to their shop in FortuneTown in BKK on a weekend a couple months back... The sales staff there were terrible and didn't appear to know their XXXX from their XXXX when it came to computers. I wouldn't go back there...

Things are a bit better now that the Red Line elevated rail line has opened and has a station just outside of DMK.... Though the walk from the rail station into the terminal area is a bit of a hassle if you have a lot of or heavy luggage.

Regarding TM30 enforcement, the typical Thai property owners or property agents in general don't end up having to go to do any business with Immigration. And most of the time, Immigration can't be arsed to go out and track them down for failure to comply. But, you the farang extension holder are easy, low-hanging fruit, because you have to do regular 90 reports and annual extensions that require Immigration's discretionary approval. So, even if you are just a tenant and not the owner or agent, you're the one they're likely going to put their thumb down on, in the event of non-compliance.

OUCH!!!

I believe, he could be found eligible for a pardon based on the medical diagnosis of... "Delusions of Grandeur!" ????

And for the LTR holders who DO NOT live in Bangkok? Nice to see "wealth" has its "privileges"! ????

Double that, since both the federal judge overseeing his insurrection case in DC and the district attorney who charged him in Georgia in the state version of the same both happen to be black women. Karmic justice for Trump and his race-baiting history. Of course, the NY District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, whose office ultimately pursued the false business records / Stormy Daniels case against Trump, which became his first criminal indicment, also is black. As illustrated in a prior post in this thread:

Wanna bet? Thai history says otherwise...

During my visit, I noticed the same about a different desk being used for appointment applications... And, once or twice during my time sitting there waiting, a woman officer walked out to the sitting area, and called out something like, 'Online Appointments?"

When you do the online appointment for an extension in the L section at BKK CW, I'm guessing you don't need to get a regular queue ticket from the front counter upon your arrival?

Thanks for updating and posting that new file... On my visit last week, there was some shuffling between the IO and me on that page... but I didn't realize the very similar looking sheet was a different late 2021 version. The one I posted earlier in the thread, which now should be replaced by your newer version, was a late 2019 dated version. Much appreciated!

Kind of like leaving a big pile of dog poo on the living room floor for your landlord to find after you've moved out.... ????

You get PT leading the show, along with a lot of other old-line establishment parties. What else was to be expected? Including a convicted criminal among the lot...

Top review says COVID lockdowns and masks worked, period They might not be popular, but a major report shows combining these interventions can keep case numbers low. "Speedy implementation of a combination of measures such as face masks, lockdowns and international border controls, “unequivocally” reduced COVID-19 infections, a major review has shown. The report published Thursday by the Royal Society looked at findings from six evidence reviews that analyzed thousands of studies to assess the effect of masks, social distancing and lockdowns, test trace and isolate systems, border controls, environmental controls and communications. It found evidence that each of these measures — which are called "non-pharmaceutical interventions" — were effective, albeit to varying degrees, when looked at individually. However, the evidence in favor of using these tools was stronger when countries combined several measures." (more) https://www.politico.eu/article/masks-lockdowns-social-distancing-evidence-reduce-coronavirus-spread/ And the source report: https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/impact-non-pharmaceutical-interventions-on-covid-19-transmission/ What lessons have been learnt to influence how we might approach future pandemics? "One of the most important lessons from this pandemic is that the effective application of NPIs ‘buys time’ to allow the development and manufacturing of drugs and vaccines. There is every reason to think that implementing packages of NPIs will be important in future pandemics. ... Future assessments should also consider the costs as well as the benefits of NPIs, in terms of their impacts on amongst other things, livelihoods, economies, education, social cohesion and physical and mental wellbeing."

And meanwhile, in the world of actual news: Lockdowns and face masks ‘unequivocally’ cut spread of Covid, report finds Royal Society review looks at non-pharmaceutical interventions when applied in packages of several measures "Measures taken during the Covid pandemic such as social distancing and wearing face masks “unequivocally” reduced the spread of infections, a report has found. ... The Royal Society report, called Covid-19: examining the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions, reviewed the evidence gathered during the pandemic for six groups of NPIs and their effectiveness in reducing transmission." ... Prof Sir Mark Walport, the foreign secretary of the Royal Society and chair of the report’s expert working group, said: “There is sufficient evidence to conclude that early, stringent implementation of packages of complementary NPIs was unequivocally effective in limiting Sars-CoV-2 infections. (more) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/24/lockdowns-face-masks-unequivocally-cut-spread-covid-study-finds

The original source of this Aug. 23 report below re Thailand, following up on the original prior report below dated Aug. 20: https://twitter.com/dr_leshan/status/1694368402624893045 Dr. Leshan Wannigama @dr_leshan Physician Scientist in infectious Disease | Passionate about Respiratory Infections | Pathogen Surveillance in LMIC | AMR | Tropical Medicine | #IDTwitter Dhammika Leshan Wannigama Infectious Diseases Fellow, Yamagata Prefectural Central Hospital, Japan

Covid Variant BA.2.86 Detected In Thailand Wastewater: Scientist By CodeBlue | 25 August 2023 KUALA LUMPUR, August 25 – The BA.2.86 variant has been detected in Thailand through wastewater sample analysis, adding to the list of countries that have reported the presence of the highly mutated Covid-19 strain. Dr Leshan Wannigama, a physician scientist at the Department of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control at Yamagata Prefectural Hospital in Japan, posted on X last Wednesday about his findings. “After sequencing the SARS-CoV-2 S gene and carefully analysing the data with existing BA.2.86 data I can confirm that our Thailand wastewater samples [are] positive for BA.2.86.” (more) https://codeblue.galencentre.org/2023/08/25/covid-variant-ba-2-86-detected-in-thailand-wastewater-scientist/