Bangkok Barry

A few years ago I needed to go to the local hospital three times a day for a week, and at 6am it was 8 degrees. It was only then I realised that, in tropical Thailand, the pickup had no heating. Also at that time, as it got light the lake outside the hospital began 'steaming', and all the staff ran out to see and photograph it. They'd never seen something like that before.

Ridiculous comment. A road is either clear or it isn't. There is no need to 'interpret' it.

I meant to write 'turn right', not 'left', so I'll try and explain again in simple language. We want to turn right into our house. Cars are behind, any one of which might do what happened in this article and what happened before not far from our house. So we pull over to the left and stop or slow down to let following vehicles pass, and when the road is clear we move off again and turn right into our house. I have no idea where you got the idea of a blind spot from.

I meant to write turn right, not left. Too late to edit.

I'm constantly amazed at how many people comment without bothering to read the linked article.

We had the same happen a couple of hundred metres from our house. Pickup waiting to turn right, hit from behind into the path of a lorry. Three dead in that case. Since then, if we need to turn left into our house and there is anything behind, my wife pulls off to the left and waits until the road is clear. You are never, ever safe on Thai roads.

Try reading the article again.

I recently went to Laos and back in an hour from Mukdahan. Technically it isn't allowed as it isn't in the spirit of the law, but it isn't actually against the law.

No-one forces them to take a job for that low pay, so I assume that they do because they aren't good enough at anything to get better. And that goes a long way to explaining why they are useless at policing. They are probably useless at everything else too.

In the real world people invest millions in art. In Thailand they spend money on 'lucky' numberplates. If I had that kind of money, I think I'd rather use it to look at paintings rather than a car numberplate, but each to their own I suppose. BTW, I've always been told that all Thais are poor and that justifies double - or in the case of government rip-offs - 10 times pricing.

Thailand is simply acting as any third world banana republic does - government officials in bed with foreign - usually Chinese - criminal gangs. Because there's heaps of money to be made. Nothing will ever change that, as those who could make a difference are on the payroll. Perfectly normal.

Wide, well-lit road, little traffic, dry surface. Perfect driving conditions, yet someone gets killed. Is anyone surprised? Of course not. Perfectly normal in Thailand and it happens every day.

It does though, doesn't it?

A colourful report, but accurate. Everyone in Thailand knows that the RTP is absolutely rotten to the core and polluted with people who are never to be trusted under any circumstances. The absolute opposite of what is expected in civilised countries but perfectly normal in a third world banana republic.

https://www.michigan.gov/ag/consumer-protection/consumer-alerts/consumer-alerts/shopping/is-my-smartphone-spying-on-me#:~:text=According to Consumer Reports%2C it,microphone and leaked audio data. I suggest also that you Google whether phones 'spy' on us. Plenty of info to be found there.

Immigration crackdown on illegals ends today Why? But nice of the authorities to let people know, so they can rest easy.

This is spooky. I was trying to find the Foodland Soi 5 menu as I've thought of eating there when I'm in Bangkok next weekend. Their website is useless for English even though they supposedly have an English translation, so thanks.

Some places charge up to 150 for water, more usually 70 or 80 in a pub for a 10 baht bottle. On that subject, I get a 20 litre bottle for 13 baht delivered to my door, the same you might pay for a small bottle in a 7-11. Now THAT is a markup from production costs.

I wrote three flights. And it's Air Asia.

The airport equivalent of an inactive post? ????

Where I live, we used to have - before Covid - an hourly bus between Mukdahan and Khon Kaen. Sometimes it was two an hour, and there was a van service too. Now it's down to one bus a day and vans for the rest of the service. And I've noticed that whereas Roi Et used to have three airlines serving it, it is now down to one with just three flights a day. How long can that airport even stay open? So yes, I guess people are no longer travelling in numbers.

Now that is interesting! Sounds like I can do two jobs in one go ???? I have to go there next month.

In Thailand it is impossible to improve the situation, where even driving on a dry straight road in daylight is beyond the ability of many. I've posted this before and it explains why: There are many reasons Thais drive as they do. 1 - I have never detected any sign of common sense in a Thai, and I've been living here for over 25 years. I am not sure how you teach that, but anyway there is no movement to do so. 2 - The Thais have a Me First mentality that is deeply ingrained, and that is the last thing you want to see in a driver. 3 - The education system demands that you do not think for yourself but listen and obey, so Thais do not develop the necessary skills to actually think. That may result in my first point above. 4 - Learning to drive in a proper and responsible manner is quite difficult, and Thais do not do difficult. Thais do 'near enough', but on the roads that isn't 'good enough'. One mistake can cost lives, so being lucky enough to get it right most of the time isn't good enough either. 5 - They have absolutely no concept that the vehicle they are attempting to operate is a potential killer. No concept at all. 6 - Along with inadequate teaching of all things about how to drive properly and safely, there is no test to determine if you have reached a standard where you are not a danger to yourself and others before you take to the road. 7 - Thais do not seem able to join the dots, and realise that if, for example, they drive at 120 kms an hour five metres behind the vehicle in front, or drive at night with no rear light (or front light if they are driving on the wrong side of the road because they have no concept of the danger), then they would have no time to react if the vehicle in front brakes suddenly. Ask any Thai what their safe braking distance is and they would have no idea. 8 - There are zero police patrols to help prevent accidents by pulling aside selfish and stupid drivers. Their only presence is setting up road blocks which seems in my experience to have only one purpose - to check your tax disc is in the window and up to date. 9 - Police have absolutely no interest in enforcing the law even when they are static beside the road, watching kids three or four on a bike go by with no helmet, no license, no ability to properly control the bike they are on. And that goes also for the parents and schools who allow Thailand's future to play Russian Roulette every time they go out. The police know they get paid anyway, so why work? 10 - The government does nothing to resolve the road death/accident toll as nothing practically can be done. The problem began decades ago when Thais first began to drive in numbers. No meaningful test was introduced and enforced, and now it is far, far too late. It would mean retraining every driver (and who would do that - it would be similar to those who teach English not being able to speak the language themselves). And it would mean the drivers having to take a proper western-style test before gaining a license. And it would mean police patrols to catch those who drive as if they are playing a video game. Now, anyone can drive as they like and put themselves and others in danger as they know they have zero chance of being caught. They can drive that way with total impunity. And it would require said (non-existent) police to actually enforce the law. And not one of those things is possible in Thailand. And that is why the government does absolutely nothing to address the problem, as it is out of control and without a fundamental change in the whole of Thai society and culture it cannot be remedied. The government knows that but can't say it. To finish, nothing can or will change and survival on Thai roads will continue to be a lottery. All we can do is remember the words that were used in the 70s police drama Hill Street Blues as the force were sent out on patrol - 'Let's be careful out there'.

My point was that they call it a retirement extension when it isn't, as you don't need to be retired. It really needs to be called something else.

I have little doubt that is what draws some expats to Thailand. They don't have to try very hard to keep up the standards of their home country. A Korean tv producer I worked with here summed up Thailand perfectly in just six words - The standards here are so low. That suits some, whereas those who aspire to something better go to Singapore or perhaps Malaysia.