TallGuyJohninBKK

There's a lot of work and research going on currently with the notion of nasal vaccines. But as the final paragraph of the above cited announcement seems to make clear, that new approach for vaccination remains some ways off from being ready as a proven solution for prime-time, real-world human use. “Mucosal vaccines are the future of vaccines for respiratory infections,” Boon said. “Historically, developing such vaccines has been challenging. There’s still so much we don’t know about the kind of immune response we need and how to elicit it. I think we’re going to see a lot of very exciting research in the next few years [emphasis added] that could lead to big improvements in vaccines for respiratory infections.” One of the questions that seems to often arise with the nasal vaccine approach is just what the duration of effectiveness might be for any any given human administration. And that doesn't seem to be a topic that's addressed at all in the above OP announcement. In other words, if there was a human version of a COVID or avian flu nasal vaccine, how often would it have to be re-administered in order to provide continuing / ongoing protection?

I've been here full-time since the mid-2000s....almost 20 years ago now... And I was really surprised, when at various points along the way, I heard stories from OLDER timers of the various U.S. places that had staked claims in Thailand in past years, only to later disappear... And then by the time I arrived, most folks of my era had never heard of those places ever having been in Thailand before a decade or two earlier.... The institutional memory, such as it is, often isn't very good. But also, you have to be careful... Sometimes, some Thai operator will copy the name of a business or brand (or close to it) in establishing a business here... even though it might have no official/formal relation to the namesake operation in the U.S. Do you know, if the Del Taco location you recall was in fact a legit extension of the U.S. chain?

No, they don't.... https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/newsguard/

NewsGuard is not the only credible source saying the same thing: Fans mistakenly claim performer’s testicle was shown during Olympics opening ceremony Jul 27, 2024 ... "However, while many were convinced that a testicle was on show for the millions watching around the world and pictures of the incident have gone viral on social media, the reality is that it was a simple wardrobe malfunction involving the performer’s tights. [emphasis added] A round hole in the black tights started out as testicle-shaped when Katerine began his song but as the performer unfroze and danced, it became clear that the split was becoming bigger. Later into the performance which then focused on a dance troupe who were floating along the River Seine, the camera cut back to Katerine’s background performers dancing to the music. By that time, the hole in the performer’s black tights had ripped across nearly the entire front part of their right thigh." https://metro.co.uk/2024/07/27/fans-mistakenly-claim-performers-testicle-seen-olympics-opening-ceremony-21310234/

Plus, when you've got your own private jet to flit about, why should any health issues ruin your fun: Thaksin in Chiang Mai again April 15 https://aseannow.com/topic/1324939-thaksin-in-chiang-mai-again/

I feel a large "snacks" package -- stuffed with Thai cash -- might be in the works.... Thailand jails Thaksin lawyers in "snack box" case June 25, 2008 BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Supreme Court jailed a lawyer and two legal advisers of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Wednesday after an apparent attempt to bribe court officials with $60,000 (30,400 pounds) hidden in a paper grocery bag. Pichit Chuenban and two associates representing Thaksin and his wife in a pending land-deal case were responsible for the 2 million baht left in the bag at the Supreme Court compound earlier this month, the court ruled. The bag was found on the day that Thaksin, ousted in a coup in 2006, and his wife were due to appear on charges of violating graft laws that prevent serving politicians and their spouses from striking deals with state agencies. (more) https://www.reuters.com/article/world/thailand-jails-thaksin-lawyers-in-snack-box-case-idUSBKK260867/

COVID-19 epidemic phase to pass mid-August: Taiwan CDC 07/30/2024 Taipei, July 30 (CNA) Although Taiwan is still in a COVID-19 epidemic phase, it is expected to pass by mid-August, said the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at a press conference in Taipei on Tuesday. A total of 584 new domestic COVID-19 cases with severe complications were recorded between July 23-29, down from the previous week's 773. The number of deaths from COVID-19 also fell from 124 recorded the previous week to 90, the CDC said. CDC Deputy Director-General Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞) said the number of patients seeking medical attention relating to COVID-19 last week was 56,000, 37 percent less than the previous week and the third consecutive week the number has fallen. (more) https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202407300021 Week Ending -- Severe COVID cases -- COVID Deaths June 17 -- 624 -- N/A June 24 -- 817 -- 40 July 1 -- 932 -- 64 July 8 -- 987 -- 99 July 15 -- 896 (revised) -- 104 July 22 -- 773 -- 124 July 29 -- 584 -- 90 Weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations have fallen for three weeks, but the recent drop could be due to people staying at home amid last week’s typhoon, the CDC said ... Meanwhile, the 584 new local COVID-19 hospitalizations and 90 deaths reported last week were lower than the weekly numbers in the previous week, Lee said. Genome sequencing data of local infections in the past four weeks showed that the JN.1 and KP.3 subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 each accounted for 24 percent of the cases, while LB.1 was responsible for about 21 percent, she said. The weekly number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has fallen for three weeks, but last week’s drop could be because the typhoon caused the cancelation of many public events and people to stay home, so it might slightly rebound this week, Lo said. https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/07/31/2003821560

What a bunch of right wing social media and later regular media claimed was shown in this photo apparently wasn't what was shown at all, per the following credible fact-checking source: One More Thing… No, an Olympics Opening Ceremony Dancer Did Not Expose His Privates NewsGuard "The Janet Jackson moment that wasn’t. What happened: Far-right sources on X are falsely claiming that a dancer who participated in a controversial drag queen skit during the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony exposed his testicles, either intentionally or unintentionally. ... A closer look: As evidence for the claim that a backup dancer exposed his testicles, far-right sources on social media pointed to a photo they said showed one of the dancers, who was dressed in minimal clothing, suffering from a wardrobe malfunction in which the dancer’s privates are exposed. (The performer appears to be French dancer Germain Louvet, who posted a photo of himself wearing the same outfit on Instagram three days after the ceremony, on July 29.) ... Actually: The dancer’s testicles were not exposed. Users appear to have misinterpreted upper thigh skin for his testicles coming loose and dropping out of his suit. A NewsGuard review of the video footage from the opening ceremony found that Louvet’s tights ripped, revealing his upper thigh, which some viewers mistakenly thought were his exposed privates." (more) https://www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/false-olympics-claims-terrorism-crime?open=false#§one-more-thing-no-an-olympics-opening-ceremony-dancer-did-not-expose-his-privates

the wife and I shared a couple of baskets of them here at Red Lobster... one complimentary, and then a 2nd one paid.... I don't think I'd ever had them in the U.S., so nothing to compare to... But, they were "biscuits," and we had no problem eating them... But not anything I'd personally go out of my way to grab....

There's also a regular, free shuttle bus service that runs from beneath the Udomsuk BTS station on the Sukhumvit Line out to the Mega Bangna mall...and back, of course. Pickup spot on the outbound side of Sukhumvit in front of the 7-11 shop there, if memory serves. Now with IHOP at Mega Bangna gone and the new IKEA store opened at Emsphere near Phrom Phong BTS, there's a whole lot fewer reasons for me to trek out to Mega Bangna lately...

Believe one of the OP linked articles says that hush puppies are NOT on the Thailand LJS menu... But Cheddar Bay Biscuits are on the Red Lobster Thailand menu... if your wallet is fat enough! 🙂

Taco Bell U.S. took it in the shorts lately courtesy of my preferred Mexican fast food alternative that I'd love to come here...but almost certainly won't... Del Taco. Taco Bell rival takes top spot for best fast food chain in US – and fans swear the number two choice is ‘a lie’ AMERICANS have voted on the top 10 best fast food chains, and a surprising taco spot was ranked number one. Jul 22 2024 The first place most people think of when you suggest getting drive-thru tacos is Taco Bell. It appears that USA Today readers would disagree after they voted Del Taco as the number one fast-food restaurant in the country. The outlet released a list of the top 10 best fast food chains in the country as voted on by readers. The popular Mexican restaurant only has 594 locations, mainly on the West Coast. (more) https://www.the-sun.com/money/11991448/del-taco-voted-best-fast-food-customers-disagree/

Yep, another goner to add to the western eateries list for Thailand: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2276071/aw-restaurant-chain-to-close It predated my arrival in Thailand by a few years, but I think (have been told that) the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis and its long aftermath was a fatal blow to a lot of western eatery operations in Thailand in the ensuing years.... And then things began to recover finally in latter years, only to have COVID come along and deal another heavy blow to businesses that relied a lot on tourist / expat foreigners.

I think the RL chain has been having its financial problems in the U.S.... a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and location closures...and an impending sale coming out of bankruptcy. Red Lobster hits a Chapter 11 bankruptcy bump Jul 29, 2024 The company, in a recent court filing, showed that 228 total restaurants cannot make money with their current lease situations. With the 99 Red Lobsters already closed, that suggests that the company could shutter an additional 135 restaurants if landlords object to giving up their past rent claims. ... Red Lobster, as it learns which locations will close, does have a new buyer. The company has accepted a stalking horse bid from Fortress Credit Corp. No other bidder emerged for the company, and the bankruptcy court is expected to approve the deal. https://www.thestreet.com/restaurants/restaurant-chain-closing-more-locations-in-chapter-11-bankruptcy Here, the wife and I tried the QSNCC RL branch soon after it opened, and had a nice, pleasant (albeit expensive) dinner there. The service was really good by Thai standards, friendly, English-speaking and just attentive enough but not overbearing/annoying, and both the steak and the lobster entrees we had were good and up to U.S. standards. But it's not the kind of place that we, or I suspect most people, would go to on a regular/recurring basis... But who knows... The dinner bill for the wife and I: At least, LJS is a more economical seafood option.... and hopefully, keeps to their promise that they're NOT using crap, medicated, diseased farmed seafood from Thailand, Vietnam, China, etc.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Thailand's recent history seems to be littered with attempted western / U.S. restaurants and chains that opened and ultimately failed here... IHOP was one of those, which opened amid great fanfare at Siam Paragon and later Mega Bangna, and fell victim to the COVID downturn in tourism. Carl's Jr. had multiple locations and then closed up in the past year or so. Outback Steakhouse had a location that was open for many years and likewise died and disappeared during COVID. Same with a popular upscale Mexican place named The Mexican in the Nana area. Same with the Clinton St. Baking Co. diner from New York that opened and then closed in Siam Paragon. And those are just scratching the surface off the top of my head.... I'm wondering how long the two Red Lobster outlets (at QSNCC and more recently Emsphere) will survive considering their typical entrees (lobster and steak dishes) run in the $30+ neighborhood before service charge and VAT are added on. And meanwhile, Taco Bell Thailand, which is a very pale substandard imitation of the original version from the U.S., seems to be persevering and has gained a foothold here, probably aided by the fact that the worst of COVID has passed, tourism is returning, and the Thai franchise holder has multiple imported restaurant brands in its portfolio.

Jul 24, 2024 The American fast food seafood chain has finally arrived on Bangkok’s shores. Named for the pirate in “Treasure Island” and a mainstay in American fast food with more than 500 locations, and they’re serving up de la mer classics and fried chicken. Since this might be uncharted territory for a lot of Thai fans, we recommend a safe bet like the fish combo set (B189) which is Long John Silver’s version of crispy fish and chips. Their Bucket Shrimp (B179) is coated with a special signature seasoning while the Chicken and Shrimp combo (B179) adds fried chicken alongside some waffle fries. ... The Thai owners claim their seafood comes from sustainably sourced fish from the Alaskan ocean to the coast of New Zealand. (more) https://bk.asia-city.com/restaurants/news/long-john-silvers-docks-its-first-thai-branch-megabangna https://www.longjohnsilvers.co.th/ Also reported in the BKK Post a week prior via a corporate PR news release: Long John Silver’s Now Serving Thailand Long John Silver’s, the renowned American quality seafood restaurant chain, has just arrived in Bangkok at the retail paradise that is Mega Bangna. Long John Silver’s presents a veritable tasty bounty of glorious seafood from the finest sources, all cooked to perfection in Long John Silver’s secret recipe batter. The interior of its restaurant provides a warm ambiance, fun vibes and a great spot for social media-savvy photos … so ring the captain’s bell as loud as you want, and join in with all of the launch program fun! ... Long John Silver’s distinguishes itself by offering sustainably-caught fish of exceptional quality that is wild-caught and responsibly sourced from the cleanest, most sparklingly clear waters, from the pristine oceans of Alaska to the gentle waters off the coast of New Zealand. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/pr/2831497/long-john-silvers-now-serving-thailand Wonder who the master Thailand franchise holder is for this operation? Unfortunate that the OP article above doesn't say. But the articles say the managing director of LJS Thailand is a Supasiri Leelapornpinit, who has previously worked for True Corp. and CP, and posted on LinkedIn at one point re Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen opening in Thailand. There was a Popeyes branch that opened at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok back around 2011, and may have been a branch in Pattaya many years before that, but no indication those have any relation to the current LJS operation. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/pr/2831497/long-john-silvers-now-serving-thailand

Thailand MoPH Weekly COVID report for July 21 - 27, 2024: For the most recent week, the MoPH update showed improvements / declines in all four publicly reported COVID indicators -- new COVID hospitalizations, deaths, currently hospitalized COVID patients in serious condition and those requiring ventilation to breathe. The latest update is another clear sign that Thailand's spring 2024 COVID surge is subsiding. --928 new COVID hospitalizations, averaging 133 per day, down 139 / -13% from 1,067 the prior week --2 new COVID deaths, down 1 / -33.3% from 3 the prior week --513 current COVID patients hospitalized in serious condition (pneumonia symptoms), down 76 / -12.9% from 589 the prior week (dark purple) --223 current COVID patients hospitalized requiring intubation/ventilation to breathe, down 42 / -15.8% from 265 the prior week (light purple) --------------------------------------- The reported 928 new COVID hospitalizations last week marked the first time this weekly tally has fallen below the 1,000 mark since mid-April, and is less than one-third of the recent weekly peak of 3,256 new hospitalizations reached in late June. Cumulative officially reported figures since the start of 2024 are COVID hospitalizations (35,581) & COVID deaths (193). Of the two official COVID deaths for the past week, the MoPH is reporting that both were female. By age, one was age 60-69, and one was age 20-49. https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/?dashboard=main The weekly new COVID hospitalization totals since this year's spring surge began in mid-March have been: March 16 -- 501 March 23 -- 630 March 30 -- 728 April 6 -- 774 April 13 -- 849 April 20 -- 1,004 April 27 -- 1,672 May 4 -- 1,792 May 11 -- 1,880 May 18 - 1,882 May 25 -- 1,801 June 1 -- 1,863 June 8 -- 2,762 June 15 -- 2,881 June 22 -- 1,823 June 29 -- 3,256 July 6 -- 1,377 July 13 -- 1,004 July 20 -- 1,067 July 27 -- 928 By comparison, Thailand's key weekly COVID indicators to start 2024 were 664 new COVID hospitalizations and 4 COVID deaths for the first week of the year. For the comparable week last year in 2023, new COVID hospitalizations were 371 and there were 7 COVID deaths.

1. In terms of natural, un-enhanced physique, I'd say generally yes. 2. Overall, I'd say yes. 3. Of course, some. 4. You probably don't / won't.

You might be able to place a delivery order via the Bangkok Beef FB group run by Greg Lange, operator of the Sunrise Tacos Mexican restaurants chain. They regularly have and sell their own bags of pickled sliced jalapenos, which I buy and use all the time... I believe he also sells whole fresh jalapenos, when they have them in-stock / in-season. You can send him a message on FB Messenger to inquire re the fresh, whole jalapenos.

HH is one of my favorite getaways from BKK, and we usually make a point of staying there on weekday periods... Nice beach town environment but also plenty of good international restaurants and malls for eating and shopping and relaxing. Even did a grocery delivery order to my hotel from Villa Market HH last time there. However, the horses on the beach has always been a turn off for me... Not only do the horses do their business on the sand when nature calls, but they also at times do their droppings at the water line, and the waves wash up and disperse the poop into the beach waters... So I do much enjoy the broader beach environment in HH, and like walking the beach from the downtown area several KMs to the south. But the horse poop issue is enough to make me decide against doing any ocean swimming there, and will stick to hotel pools for that. Also the VIP bus service from Suvarnabhumi to HH for about 350b per person is a very good deal and efficient, dropping you off at their bus station next to to the HH airport. But the bus operator then also will provide free van rides into town to the Clocktower meeting point, or, direct van service to local hotels for arrivals (but not return trip departures) for 100b per person.

I use Grab every time I'm in Hua Hin (anywhere from Khao Takiab up to the airport area), and the service there has been great... Easy to book rides, no problems with cancellations that I've experienced. Good drivers and service. No complaints!

When I asked for and received my MRT seniors discount pass a year or so back, they definitely wanted to see my passport as proof of age eligibility. The MRT counter rep specifically asked to see my passport. I don't have a Thai DL and maybe it would have sufficed if I did have one, but they didn't ask for that either.

LOS.... just to clarify... 1. Was your application to the London embassy done via their E-visa route or in-person? 2. If it was done via the E-Visa route, could you have completed that process while physically being in Thailand, or was there anything that would have physically required you to be there in London? Thanks! (I've never done an E-Visa app, so not clear on the particulars....)

I realize they're coming from different agencies, but the MFA guy was very clear and specific in his interview in saying that ONLY the visa would be required for DTV re-entries -- no other or additional documentation.

I'm here for the long haul, married to a Thai, and a decade-plus of retirement extensions under my belt. I would NOT be interested to potentially lose my grandfathered status under retirement extension rules for a 5-year visa where I don't clearly know what my status and options would be at the end of the initial 5 years. And of course IF the DTV is in fact a one-and-done visa (which we don't actually know at this point), I'd have no interest in trading my annual retirement extensions for that. Because of life changes and the aftermath of COVID, I'm not traveling internationally as much as I did in the past. So the advantage of not having to leave the country under retirement extensions vs. having to leave at least once a year under the DTV is a consideration. But then again, my demographic is clearly not the target group for the DTV visa, even though I probably could qualify if I wanted to try.