Bangkok Barry

I'll ignore your insulting first sentence. Your second paragraph has nothing at all to do with my post and merely repeats what is in the article. Regarding your third paragraph, history has shown that whatever happens in Thailand has little bearing on its economy. During the last - sorry, most recent coup - I remember that the currency actually rose. It is termed Teflon Thailand. I repeat - Thailand is so insignificant in economic terms that the effect of coups and political turmoil is also insignificant. You - or the person your referred to - has a different point of view. A different 'top business leader' might believe the opposite to the one you refer to, as why this upcoming period of turmoil should differ from previous ones isn't discussed by him, is it. It would be interesting to pose that question to him.

When I was a kid in the UK I was repeatedly taught to look left, look right and left again before crossing the road. In Thailand I still do that, even on a one-way street because - well, you know. If you do that then you don't need an 'official crossing point'. You just wait until the road is clear. It's a good way of staying alive.

That's strange. I also receive my pensions in Baht, transferred over from the UK via Wise, and the exchange rate has been pretty much stable for a long time. I'd guess at least a couple of years. Same with the US$, no major change. Anyway, political turmoil has no effect on the Thai baht anyway, as previous coups have proven. Thailand is an insignificant SE Asian backwater, and anything that happens here largely goes unnoticed by the rest of the world. What happens in Thailand is only of importance to those that live within its borders. The rest of the world hasn't the slightest interest in Thailand, financially or politically.

The IO I saw doesn't wear one. Some people do, an increasing number don't. I find it pathetic that some wear it under their chin as some kind of Peanuts cartoon security blanket, as if they just can't let it go.

Because inflation figures are a complete nonsense. The inflation figure is calculated by using a 'basket' of items, not everything as that is probably impossible. So if something has increased in price by 40% it won't be included if it is not one of the items included in the 'basket', but something that is in the 'basket' and has only increased by 2% is.

I've worked with Thai journalists and not one of them would last a week in the UK.

To Thais, all foreigners are 'tourists'. How often do we read of Thai residents?

You are assuming that all Russians support Vlad Putrid, which obviously isn't so. Don't confuse individuals with lunatic politicians, in Russia or anywhere else.

I have a strong suspicion that I was a Swede in a previous life. When I went there I felt perfectly at home, and when I had a go at learning the language I was told that I had a perfect accent.

I believe that the human race is an experiment by a vastly superior being - that has gone badly wrong. And that it will be allowed to destroy itself, which it is well on the way to doing.

A usual daily occurrence in the Land of Smiles. There'll be another 'jealous husband kills wife' report tomorrow. And the day after. And the one after that. Groundhog Day.

However, when the officers arrived at the scene, the Singaporean woman had already vanished. I suppose them checking at the hotel the Thai couple thought she might be staying at was out of the question?

I was diagnosed with bronchitis, and when I got a second diagnosis it turned out that I had severe food poisoning and would have been dead in two days without treatment. Someone I know was diagnosed with indigestion, and when taken to a second hospital by a concerned friend he was found to have had a heart attack. Thai medical care can be excellent, even at village hospital level, but it is times that it isn't which is a problem. I'm sure that some doctors qualify by buying a white coat.

It's happened throughout history. Humans are flawed, standards change (rarely for the better) as boundaries are stretched and people get away with more and more. Sometimes, the moral rot extends to leaders of a country, usually but not always where the leaders are more or less self-appointed. You just have to try and hope to avoid the rot as much as possible.

However, due to the lack of streetlights and darkness Great reporting yet again - due to the lack of darkness? How about Due to darkness and the lack of streetlights? Hmm? And I suppose the errant driver using headlights so that he could see what was ahead was out of the question? And so people die. Again.

Such short-sightedness doesn't bode well for him as leader of the country, does it. Sad that he's so careless, as it could well deny Thailand the fresh start that it so desperately needs. Why he left the door wide open for him to be denied his victory is extremely worrying and defies belief.

Has anyone got any idea what the photo with this article represents? It looks like a group of people sitting down for a casual chat and nothing to do with the report at all. No names, no explanation, just that it comes from a police Facebook page. That tells us nothing. More great Thai reporting, I guess. Stage one thinking: Show a photo. Stage 2 thinking: Explain its contents (Stage 2 thinking not available to Thais)

I have absolutely no idea how that works. Do dentists keep detailed records of every procedure they do? Across multiple countries (I've had work done in the UK, Australia and Thailand)? And there would have to be a national database. I wait to be educated on this.

I'm not sure that's the answer. People don't weigh up the potential sentence when they commit a crime. Especially in Thailand, where so many live only in the moment with no thought at all of the consequences of their actions.

Very common in Thailand. So many people like to shoot their mouth off, often (not in this case) without knowing what they are talking about. Just shut up, and act when it's time to act. No need to broadcast your intentions.

I've written before of how long it takes now to order at McDonalds, as I've done at Don Muang airport. Go to the big screen, choose the menu you want, choose each item, choose how to pay, choose whether to collect or have it delivered to your table. Time taken: 2 minutes. The old way: Go to counter, give order, pay. Time: 20 seconds tops. The new system most certainly isn't done for the benefit of the customer.

It's called progress. The old way always worked, the new way doesn't. This particular example is not alone in the new way not being as efficient or reliable as the old of course, but that's the way the world is going. All over Europe there are buildings that stood for hundreds of years, or machinery that has worked since the 1800s. How many buildings and machines built today will still be there in 2223?

No contest, is there? Not even close.

The same minister who wanted bars to close at 10 and nightclubs at midnight.

Why? You've made a statement, now explain your reasoning.