Acharn

Noj, I don't use a vpn. I've thought of setting up OpenVPN, but haven't done it yet (it looks hard). I get exactly the same results in Chromium as in Firefox, so it isn't browser-dependent. Three days ago I tried calling 3BB (my isp) Call Center, and they found nothing wrong with their line and my connection, but I plan to go to their office in Nakorn Sawan tomorrow and try harder. I feel like something has been corrupted, probably in my computer. I don't have an anti-virus program, because Linux. I'm currently looking up how to check my SSL security certificates. There's nothing I know of on my computer except the browser bookmark to Bualuang iBanking that I can uninstall and reinstall. I've tried searching (I use Qwant) for the address and connecting from the search page, but the results are the same. The bank's call center checked their record of my account and found nothing, but the first thing that came to my mind four days ago is that something on the Internet is blocking my ip address from making the connection.

For the last four days I haven't been able to connect to my bank account on my Linux desktop. I keep getting this (see attachment). I don't have any other problem connecting to web sites. I've used the program for at least five years and never had a problem since I got it set up. When I went to the bank branch, their computer was able to connect without problem, and I was able to transfer funds. At unpredictable times I'm able to log in, and even set up a transfer, but when I try to proceed it tells me it can't find bangkokbank.com. Has anyone else had this problem? If so how did you fix it? Otherwise I need help from someone who is really good at troubleshooting the Internet.

Pridi Banomyong commented, back in the 1930s, that Thais have an extraordinary love for uniforms. That's one reason the civil service have uniforms.

Bush 43's... or maybe Darth Cheney's. In the hysteria after September 11, 2001, they felt they had to "do something," and invading Afghanistan was "something." By itself it wasn't a bad idea. Bin Laden probably had nothing to do with the Twin Towers, but he took credit for them, and the initial invasion chased him and al Qaeda and the Taliban out of Afghanistan. They should have quit then, but American donors decided they wanted the trillion dollars worth of minerals locked up in undeveloped, roadless places. The American people loved it, but were soon watching Iraq and forgot about Afghanistan, allowing the MIC to start their 20-year long war. I don't blame Bush for the problems encountered in the withdrawal, but blame the Pentagon and all high ranking Army officers. The Pentagon should have had detailed contingency plans for withdrawal, constantly updated, from the moment we decided to send Special Forces troops into the country. This was especially true after Trump started negotiating with the Taliban. I'm pretty sure we have contingency plans to invade Mexico, Canada, and Fiji. It used to be we had contingency plans for every conceivable event. There were giants in the land in those days /sarc.

The people involved in foreign exchange trade are currently uncertain whether the Fed will cut the Prime Rate 0.50% or 0.25%. I've thought the U.S. dollar was overvalued for a few months, and that may contribute to the size of the loss. It's currently looking like a cut of 0.25% is more likely, so the dollar may go back up in a couple of weeks. Or not.

I remember reading a similar prediction fifty years ago. I don't remember who the person was who made the prediction. The point he made was that Bangkok has been draining water from underground sources, which causes the city to sink. IIRC it was a couple of centimeters a year. I've seen similar predictions over the years since I came back. Of course now we've got global warming, which really can't be denied any more, so if the Antarctic and Greenland ice melts I'm sure Bangkok will be drowned, but it's not going to happen in my lifetime (I'm 87 years old).

I assume they fell off the back of a truck.

Forgot to say there is no Thai dish called Pho. None. Never has been, never will be. Just not. Pho is some kind of Vietnamese food which I have never knowingly eaten. It may be very good, but the most widely available Thai dish, based on noodles, is Guei Diaw, a Chinese dish adopted by Thais in the 1940s to combat inflation.

Forgot to say there is no Thai dish called Pho. None. Never has been, never will be. Just not. Pho is some kind of Vietnamese food which I have never knowingly eaten. It may be very good, but the most widely available Thai dish, based on noodles, is Guei Diaw, a Chinese dish adopted by Thais in the 1940s to combat inflation.

I expect so. Unlike Chinese, which has an official method for writing the sounds of Chinese in Roman characters, Thailand has never had an accepted way to do it. It's catch as catch can.

You forgot Sen Mi, the really thin ones, almost hairlike. I hate them, myself, but they seem to be the default in most Gui Diaw. I always ask for Sen Lek.

A few months ago I found my transfer was taking much longer, but I was getting messages from Wise about my bank account. I didn't understand them. Finally, I deleted my U.S. bank account and then registered it anew. This brought up a screen about a new transfer service Wise had started using, which needed direct access to the account. Haven't had a problem since then. I have, since then, had to send Wise a copy of the ID page of my passport, no big deal.

I love Chalerm Yubamrung. This guy makes Thai politics fun. Of course, he's corrupt as hell, but he's still fun if you're not one of his victims.

You look both ways before crossing the sidewalk.

If you're lucky, one day you're going to need help eating, you'll be drooling on your flannel shirt, and changing your Pampers a couple times a day. As far as I know they don't have old people's homes for farangs in Thailand. If you're still young enough to have all your faculties, it's kind of nice to have somebody to talk with, or even make love with.

I don't understand why the teacher took her students to a discussion with the tailor about modifying a dress. If she didn't like the price he demanded, why didn't she just leave? I agree he shouldn't have slapped her, but there's something strange about this story. ETA: Oops! The story says repeatedly that it was her children with her, not her students. Sorry, don't know why I read it the other way. I still don't understand why she didn't simply walk away when she didn't like the price. Also don't understand why she didn't accept the police recommendation. It sounds like she provoked the assault and is trying to force criminal charges against this guy.

I'm glad you're feeling comfortable here. I like it. But I've lived in several places in Thailand for 42 years and have never felt like a local. Bad headline writing. I've got Thai family I've lived with for years, they are loyal and I trust them to take care of me after I start wearing diapers, but I am not a Thai, will never be a Thai, and will never be "accepted" as a Thai.

No.

When I was stationed in Sattahip, in the Army in 1973, the kingdom was like the American frontier. Everybody was confident, optimistic, free. Lots of land was available, as the Thai Army deforested the Northeast. The country still dominated the culture. At least half the people in Bangkok only stayed there for three months at a time. Thaksin did a lot of good stuff around 2000. His sister did a lot of good stuff. Now we're just a couple of years out from a repressive coup/military dictatorship under a humorless, fun-hating man. People haven't had time to adjust. I like it almost as well now as I did in 1973.

Good news indeed, although thank goodness it doesn't apply to anyone in my family (anymore).

Are you sure about this? It used to be you had to go first, with the owner of the housebook and the housebook, to the amphur where you were registered and submit a request to be removed from that housebook, then go to the new amphur, with the owner and the housebook, and submit a request to be added to the housebook.

Not since the Democratic Leadership Council and Bill Clinton, anyway. I'd say the party leadership is mostly neoconservative now.

But when they have trouble they call the police anyway. Why is that?

This is the way Thai politics used to be. I very much miss Police Captain Chalerm and his threats to expose corruption.

I've known two guys who naturalized to Thai citizenship. Both had started companies that employed Thais and made a fair amount of money. This was some years ago, so things may have changed.