Bangkok Barry

Far too many questions, which one do you need answering first????? Same answer for each, probably. No.

Not as useless as those who raid pubs serving after-hours, put them in the bed of their pickup and see them run off once they get to the police station. I've read of that happening twice. Don't you love Thailand. Lunatic asylum.

Legal casinos won't happen because the people behind the illegal ones would lose mountains of money. And those with that money are very powerful and influential people, and those people win. Always. The law bends to them, it doesn't punish them. Especially in a place like Thailand, as every one of us knows.

I agree, But air pollution isn't restricted to Asia, so there's more to it than that.

You do also pay tax to the Thai government every time you shop. But in their eyes that doesn't count. You are rich and all Thais are poor - you pay, mista!

Idiotic comment. In Thailand dual pricing is based on race, not age.

I think that most Thais are embarrassed by the government-led dual pricing policy. There are a few businesses that see it as a green light to charge foreigners more, but go to your local market and shops and I doubt you'll find ordinary Thais ripping you off. I'd guess that well over 95% of Thais hate the practise as much as we (who are not Thai apologists and therefore don't mind being made a fool of) do.

In actual fact it has not. From the article: On a personal note, I now get over 1000 baht less when I transfer money from the UK than I did in February.

How many people do you know that have vacation time extending beyond 30 days? I would guess that the vast majority of folk come to Thailand for a couple of weeks at most.

Can you explain, please, why it is that so many hundreds of millions around the world have gone without masks for months, whereas in Thailand and elsewhere in Asia where those who are in, let's say, less free-thinking countries continue to do so? Why is there a greater chance of catching Covid in Thailand than elsewhere in the world? I look forward to your answer.

So, nothing has changed then. You don't have to wear a mask outdoors, a demand that was never, ever enforced anywhere by anyone. Otherwise, it's as usual, with any business free to demand you wear a mask or no entry.

What language have you used when using them in the past? There might be a clue there as to why they wrote to you in English. It says, in bold, you need a Thai ID to register. If you are a foreigner without then you won't be able to, and that is why they emphasised it in bold as it's important. I guess those who have dealt with PP in Thai might have received the email in Thai.

Paypal Bronze Age, isn't it? Or did Thailand insist on this? (Seems unlikely to me). PP are not in the business of preventing people using their services. Thailand insisted on it, and PP have been discussing how they must implement the government's demands. So, Bronze Age Thailand. That should not come as a surprise.

I've had the same two communications. I'm confused. It appears that the new email reverses info given in the old one, and now only Thais will be able to use PayPal in Thailand from later this year. Needing a Thai ID card follows on from needing one to pay utility bills in places like 7-11, I believe. But does this only apply to accounts set up in Thailand? Mine is set up in the UK and PayPal takes payments out of my UK bank account. I can't see that my being in Thailand, with the account based elsewhere, means that any transactions I make will now be blocked. Those who set up their PP account in Thailand, different story. I only use it maybe once or twice a year, for instance to buy software, so what happens doesn't bother me too much. But for those foreigners using it for business - again, different story.

So, possibly, is the crime they committed to end up in jail. I can't think of any better personnel suited to the job (apart from a few politicians). Can you?

Two adjacent headlines on AseanNow today.... And I checked - the second headline refers to international, not domestic travel

You will if you bother to read the linked article.

Yes, you would not want a criminal to launch a lawsuit against you for criticizing his illegal business would you Try reading the linked article.

If you read the linked article properly you will see it offers another link which names the business. With photos.

It's priorities, isn't it. A pleasant beach environment against people having to sit in their car in traffic for a few extra minutes.

Just normal life in Thailand - a school director in a responsible position covers up a crime and it isn't reported to the police - probably as they'd want their cut of the 'settlement'. And from the report above it seems that both kids involved are being raised by grandparents. In Thailand, many have kids as an insurance policy so they will be cared for in old age. Actually being a parent in the 'western sense' is an alien concept. Even in my direct family, we are raising a nephew after his mother went to Hungary for three months in March 2020 and has made no attempt to return. She earlier married a Dutchman and they have a house in Hungary. And another nephew is being raised by my wife's sister while his parents work elsewhere.

I'm surprised that they don't try and sell to people caught in the never-ending traffic jams along Beach Road. Like the garland sellers selling to those who bother to stop at a red light.

It is insane to keep Beach Road open in Pattaya. The entire road should be pedestrianised - you know, like they do in many resort areas in other countries, so those elusive tourists don't have to breathe in fumes while risking their life crossing to the beach. Second Road is easily wide enough to be two-way, and non-pedestrian access to the beach area should be limited to delivery vehicles only. But then, Pattaya - and much of Bangkok - doesn't provide walking space for people anywhere and they have to walk in the road with traffic passing within centimetres of them. Car is king.

Nearly everyone my wife knows here has had Covid. Only one has been very ill, and she also has cancer which might well be a factor in that - pre-exisiting conditions. I'll probably wander along to my local village hospital for a 4th shot, because it's easy and free so why not?

The main thing that will keep people away is the economic situation in Europe and the USA, which is bad and growing worse as each week passes. There is far too much uncertainty about the future to spend money on long haul holidays. Anyone with any sense will just suck up another year without a foreign vacation and try to put some money away for spending it on things they really need.