Bangkok Barry

Shouldn't the hospital have alerted the police when someone arrived there for burns treatment?

What has the USA got to do with anything? These dogs saved a life in Thailand, and you pointedly failed to address the point that I made that you would have been grateful that the dogs were there to save your life, as you have no possible alternative than to agree with what I wrote. But, as you insist on bringing the USA into the discussion and sorry to raise an inconvenient truth, how many people there are killed by dogs compared to those killed by illegal use of firearms? It isn't only dogs who are stupid.

Stupid comment. I'd bet all I have that if it had been you in the well you'd have welcomed the dogs sounding the alarm so that you didn't end up suffering a slow death. Or perhaps you'd have preferred to die in silence.

You raise a good example, but neither apply to the two examples I quoted - flight check in and McDonalds. Especially McDonalds. And when I tried the QR check in it didn't even work. And if you or others lose their phone with all the apps we are asked to download and use these days it's a tedious job getting them all downloaded again.

There's a fundamental and insoluble problem: “Organising is the first step". And: Once these lines have been tidied up BMA will issue an announcement that operators have to either get a permit from NBTC or MEA to run these lines if not they will not be allowed to do so. We all know how conscientious people/companies are about applying for permits, and how diligent the authorities are blind to the lines that will be put up regardless,

Why? How?

It is amazing how much we complicate things in the name of 'progress'. Modern method: As above. Takes two minutes. Sensible method: Insert card, key in code, receive money. Takes 20 seconds. Same with Self Check-In that last week I discovered Air Asia (probably others too) are using. Needs a QR code, which requires using an internet connection and phone (as with ATMs above). Sensible method, seemingly no longer available: Touch screen, key in booking code, receive boarding pass. Takes 20 seconds. And, with little else available, I had breakfast at McDonalds at Don Muang. Modern way: Go to a screen, scroll through the menus, select item(s), confirm, choose whether to collect from counter or have delivered to your table, choose method of payment. Time, two minutes. Sensible method: Go to counter, give order, pay. Time 20 seconds. The world is going backwards in the name of 'progress'.

Just responding to your post about Thailand having no social care system when it has the money to have one if the politicians actually cared about its people.

There possibly is, one of those underground ones run by an untouchable. Thais know about these things.

I love the security guards manning the entrance to MRT stations who shine their torch at your closed bag for about a second.

Not unlike someone in our village who killed a kid for taking apples from a tree. The murderer came to a financial arrangement with the kid's parents, went away for a while and is now back in the village as if nothing happened. The police didn't get involved at all, as far as I know.

So, don't go to a private hospital. Simples. It already is. The policy is that people are 'encouraged' to wear a mask but it isn't compulsory. Up to you.

Yes. and why doesn't it? The government coffers are overflowing with hundreds of billions of dollars of foreign exchange funds. And what is it doing with it? 220 billion as of the 11th of this month.

That's exactly what I was thinking. This part of the road is surely closed, with all traffic diverted to the road on the right in the photo. There are several sites not far from where I live as similar work is being undertaken. But there, as probably in this case, people drive on the closed portion anyway because Thais never, ever, think the rules apply to them. The fact that only two vehicles, and not the many dozens that pass that way, fell into the hole really tells you all you need to know.

Altogether, 25,000 baht of compensations for medical expenses has been paid to the victims by the motorist, who promised to meet with their parents at the police station at the end of this month to discuss further compensation. So not stopping for 20 seconds has cost him 25,000 and counting. Pretty expensive mistake. Will he do it again? Probably, because he'll have learnt nothing.

What difference does that make?

So, they raise the price and then give you a discount meaning you don't have to pay it. Okay.

If I did that then I'd miss useful calls, such as when I have a delivery arriving by bus and the driver calls to tell me when he is likely to arrive. I prefer to answer and then hang up if need be, rather than ignore all calls I don't recognise. But each to their own.

Thai parents. They are not parents in the Western sense, and have kids as an insurance policy so they can be taken care of in old age. They have little interest in raising them in a responsible way, and often don't at all as they are passed on to aged and incapable grandparents to do the job. We are taking care of a nephew after his mother went off to live in Hungary, and a sister-in-law is raising another while his parents work elsewhere.

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned Trivago, which gives you the price that multiple booking sites are quoting for the same property. Agoda might not be the cheapest.

They are deemed special when it's reported in the international media.

Yet another example of how cheap life is here. Dare to complain about a haircut and be stabbed to death. By the way, I've seen three different reports on this, with the child said to be 5, 7 and 8. More great Thai reporting.

My sister was living in Spain, where wine is so cheap they throw it over people in a sort of Spanish Songkran festival. Beer is also far, far cheaper, with five cans of the local beer costing the same in supermarkets as one can in Thailand.

Did they prove without a shadow of doubt that she knew what was in the package she signed for? I don't remember. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't, but doesn't there have to proof of intent and being innocent until proved guilty?.

Are we expected to feel sympathy for this idiot couple? If they couldn't see that enormous hole perhaps they shouldn't be allowed near a vehicle of any sort. Plus - The street was reportedly closed to traffic, but a tiny path ... was open to let pedestrians and small vehicles pass. And - In fact, there was a warning sign for vehicles at the hole.