Acharn

1. There are no podiatrists in Thailand. Surprising, but true. 2. I don't eat oysters, so I can't help you.

I don't believe in a creator god, like the Christian god, but I can't deny there are powers greater than myself in the universe. I accept the Buddhist understanding that Samsara (the physical universe) has no beginning.

If you scroll down on the product page and look at the right-hand side you will find the code-name of the seller. It should be in the form of a link, and might take you to information about their physical location.

Oh, boy. Varawut Silpa-archa. I remember going to visit Suphan Buri years ago and was impressed by how widely his father's name was on things. Really popular. He knew how to take care of his constituents, and it looks like he taught his son. I love Chuwit. He's the only entertaining politician around now. My favorite used to be Police Captain Chalerm, from Thon Buri, who was alleged to control the Military Police, who control the Klong Thoey Market and several other protection schemes. Every time there was an uproar in Parliament he would threaten to expose the evidence he had against other politicians. He never did, of course, but everybody believed he really knew where the bodies are buried. I wonder if he's still living. Looks like Chuwit is the holder of secrets now.

I suspect he's made it clear to the people who matter that he has a whole lot of undeniable evidence, held by somebody they can't whack or extort, which will embarrass the entire elite, especially the monarchists. This has been going on at least since the kingdom of Sukothai. Used to be, up until the Revolution of 1932, that every new king reformed the judiciary and police (or the military, which were used before the creation of police). King Rama V was especially effective while he lived.

Well, I haven't been on the scene for over a decade, but I met a few decent ones. Ones with a strong work ethic, anyway. Some of them wouldn't rob you.

I dunno. It's been this way for eight or nine centuries, probably several millenia. The worst offenders get taken out, the rest keep right on. Human nature on display.

I disagree. The author didn't understand Thai language outside Bangkok. The well-to-do say "mon" is only used for animals. Thai Northern and Northeastern people say it means "him." Bangkok residents who have only attended public schools up to sixth grade say it means "him." Granted, if he had married the girl things might not have worked out (he doesn't seem to have understood reality very well), but not because he overheard her referring to him with the word "mon."

My grandfather used to keep a large crate in his basement, next to the cream separator. It held several dozen eggs. Whenever it got full (a month or two) they would send it off to the creamery and set a new, empty crate there. In those days eggs were expected to stay fresh at room temperature for several months. I don't know when they started this process of washing them to remove the protective coating, but they sure turn bad fast now. Unless they're refrigerated.

With the exception of 1976, most Thai coups d'etat have very few casualties. Soldiers do not like being killed and neither do the civilians.

One of my niece's husband's employees did. I think it's not that uncommon in Thailand. The relation between employee and small business employer in upcountrry Thailand is often family-like. The business owners throw parties at least once a week for everybody, sometimes two or three if there are birthdays. Although this guy had shown symptoms of depression on previous occasions, he had seemed in good spirits for several days before this party, and he had joined in the drinking and singing. About ten o'clock he took a bottle of gasoline, walked about thirty meters outside the compound, poured the bottle over his head and lit a cigarette lighter. By the time the others got to him and put the fire out he was already dead. Nobody knows what, exactly, drove him to the act, but he was another victim of bipolar disorder.

Sex and drugs and rock and roll!

Sometimes it's not possible to avoid confrontation. If someone attacks you, you may not be able to run away after the first couple of punches. In this case, the Thai guy seemed to be surprised at being attacked, and I don't think he could escape. YMMV.

Farming.

More like 150,000-200,000. Most are from the North, Chiang Mai, Chaiyaphum. Girls from the NorthEast are usually too dark-skinned. Used to be a few more before they made 18 the legal requirement in 1996. Most of them don't make very much. Most Massage girls only make about ฿1,000 a day, if even that much. Most street-walkers only make ฿3-400 on a good day.

I seem to recall that Suthep was forced into the monkhood for a while. Chalerm is one of my favorites. He started out as a Sergeant Major in the Army's Military Police and got transferred to the police when he was caught extorting merchants. Prem (remember him?) commented that he was extraordinarily ungrateful.

I'm glad to see Chuwit saying this. Thai politics used to be so entertaining, but it's been nothing but boring under Prayut. Well, except for the guy who had a friend who "loaned" him expensive watches.

Actually, it started when humans discovered fire. At first it wasn't bad, the world's natural mechanisms took care of it, but starting about 1776, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, with the industrial use of steam power, it took off. We passed the point where we could do anything about it around 1850. No link, my opinion. Of course the climate has always been changing, but we were in a pretty sweet situation after the last Ice Age.

I don't believe this. I'm 85 years old, and don't have crow's feet, which are caused by your eyes moving when you smile. I grant you I don't smile a lot, but when I do, it's genuine. I think that's true of (some) other people, too.

Ah, that may be. I haven't lived in Bangkok for thirteen years, now. Chuwit is the only one of the old political crew that I know of. I don't see any others as entertaining as he is, but I've grown old and don't pay much attention any more.

I've liked Chuwit since he <deleted> Thaksin off and sent the bulldozers in to the market on Sukhumwit, which is now Queen Sirikhit's Park. Long story, but he's a very funny and very canny man.

I did for twenty years, but I haven't lived there for thirteen years, so I'm out of touch.

This year hasn't seemed hotter than usual -- so far. I live in Nakhon Sawan, and I haven't seen the temperature go over 40° -- yet. I well remember the heat wave during April 2018. Every damned day it got up to 44-5°. That was hot. Don't know what next month will bring, and my Thai family are complaining that it's too hot, but I'm OK so far.

Well, they're going to find some evil farangs, which I'm glad of, but everybody should know that by far most of the people who are into this kind of thing are Thai. Indeed, most of them are family members or at least well known to the children. The new law imposes serious penalties on those who abuse children under 15, especially if payment is involved. Back in the 2000s a sitting Senator was convicted and sent to prison for taking underage girls to "curtain hotels." This jamoke is in a world of hurt. Before the new law in December, 1996, it was quite common for girls to enter the sex trade when they were 15 or 16, and I used to know one very pretty half Korean girl whose mother put her to work when she was 14. After all, through most of human history women married at 13 or 14, otherwise they couldn't have enough children to be sure at least a couple survived to care for them in their old age (that's what "honor your father and mother" means).

Don't forget that we're south of the Tropic of Cancer, so during the summer months the sun's path through the sky is to the north. In fact, with the solstice approaching, I just noticed the other day how far to the south the sun is rising now, compared to when we moved in in May. I know in the States a lot of architectural rules of thumb are based on the rule that the sun always is to the south. Things are a little more complicated here.