spidermike007

Well, let us not forget she comes from the only family that passed policy that benefitted the common man, in the recent history of Thailand. Perhaps, ever. At least with this party, there is a possibility of some good and beneficial policy happening. With Cha Cha or Prawit the chances of good policy are zero. It is more backwards movement and more of the same toxic cronyism. They are the nothing men. They are both empty suits.

I make it a point to refuse to respond to these kinds of deadlines or pressure. You need a commitment today? OK, find someone else. I don't do that, and you mistook me for a sucker. It helps that I have been in sales and marketing my whole life, so I can see it coming from a mile away. And I tell them that. Look, you are selling to a salesman. You can't do that. I know what you are attempting to do. It won't work. Explain to me why I need to buy this item, or rent this place. Don't pressure me with fake tactics. See ya.

Thanks. Who are the real criminals here? I would venture to say it is the current party and PM. They just have not been charged yet, as their crimes have not been investigated.

So sorry to hear. Must be rough living in Thailand, and not liking Thai food. One of the my favorite things about living here.

A great Penang curry ranks right up there. I love it with fresh squid. Massaman curry is a close 2nd for that class of Thai food. I think great Thai food is the only cuisine I could eat every day, and not get tired of. Still love it after all these years. It helps that I love it spicy.

Let us hope it is the opposition. Anyone but the current army goons. Anyone. I may not agree with all they stand for, but anything but the status quo, who are moving the nation backwards, at an alarming pace.

You are suggesting real police work, and real reform. And billions lost. We can keep dreaming. But, we have two choices, really. Deal with the way life is conducted here, and not let the moral degradation and the double talk effect our peace of mind, or daily level of fulfillment. Or not. It is up to us. I may groan on this forum, but I do it with a grain of salt and a sense of fun. The nonsense does not affect me. I love it here. And I have gotten very good at keeping my head buried in the sand. It feels nice and cool down there.

There are a few things you can do to strengthen your liver. Pay careful attention to the quality of oil. Alot of food here is fried. When cooking at home, use only rice bran oil (easy to get here and inexpensive), sunflower or olive oil. All have high burn levels and are primarily unsaturated fat. The other thing you can do is start taking milk thistle extract. It is a wonder herb, that supports the liver. There is some evidence that it can aid in cirrhosis, and hepatitis, caused by excessive drinking, various diseases and viruses.

Anutin would still be in the construction business, if it were not for the deals he has made. His entire life has been about deals, and very little of what he has achieved has been due to merit or real accomplishment. So, now we know. If he says it, it is likely not true. It is simply hot air, deflection and lies. That is who and what the man is. An empty suit.

Of course he did. Mislead is what Trump does. He would not know truth, facts, or reality if it bit him on the bum. The man has spent his lifetime misleading and lying. That is who he is. If there is one certainly about Trump, it is that if he says it, it is not true. He is nothing, if not predictable.

This is an abomination. The only reason they object, is to protect the government tobacco monopoly. This has been nothing to do with health, the youth, or anything real. Vapor is much safer than smoke. That is a well known fact.

I am just not buying it. Anything big joke is involved in, is questionable. I think he was promoted in an attempt to rehabilitate the horrible and well deserved reputation of the RTP, and it is likely all a smoke screen. Warning cops in advance? Really? The bottom line is, how many cops are getting arrested, convicted and sentenced to prison terms? That is the only metric that means anything. All else is smoke and mirrors.

This is crazy. Monkeys attacking an infant would be very scary. They are powerful and can be vicious. Any kind of stick or bamboo staff scares the monkeys into submission. Perhaps they should provide bamboo on perilous beaches and at temples with monkeys? Or, would that simply be too proactive?

Perhaps there is a way to teach drivers the concept of respect for others? Can they figure out a way to impart the idea of the sanctity of a life? Can they teach patience, and the reality that getting there 20 seconds later does not make any difference, at all?

Everything and anything by Barry Eisler. He is the best writer in the espionage/assassin genre. Vince Flynn was a close second, before he had the audacity to die on us. Tom Wood is decent. The Victor series is entertaining. No one else even comes close, in my opinion, though there are dozens, if not hundreds out there. Most are minor talents like Brad Thor, Steve Martini, Chris Ryan, Mick Herron, Lee Child, Andy McDermott, Alex Gurlis, Scot Hovrath, Alex Hawke, Brad Taylor, Ben Coes, and Alex Berenson. Any suggestions? Real writers who can flesh out their characters and the environments with distinctive prose?

The trains here feel like something out of a 1967 time capsule. So little in the way of pride. What gives?

Faster, more modern and more efficient forms of transportation are desperately needed here. Thailand is decades behind the curve, and the current train system is an embarrassment to a nation that refers to itself as developing. The roads are choked up, due to one administration after another ignoring the issue of efficient cargo transport. It is time to get with the program. Sloth is never an excuse.

Well, in lieu of a judicial system that actually works, and does not let people who have millions to throw at a legal team off the hook, most of the time, it would sure be fun to let truth and real justice prevail. Trump richly deserves to spend the rest of his sorry days in Guantanamo, or a high security Federal prison. He has richly earned that. If anyone is in doubt, I recommend tracking down any of the hundreds upon hundreds of small contractors he fleeced out of their life savings, and put them out of business.

Bamboo diplomacy,’ or a foreign policy marked by pragmatism and flexibility that balances competing geopolitical interests and ‘bends with the wind.’ In other words, never criticize a despot neighbor like Burma or Cambodia, regardless of what they are doing. Forsake the moral high ground, and always consider the money, not the benefits for the people. And bow down to the Master, China, while remaining neutral towards sinister aggressors, like Russia. One needs not antagonize, after all.

And prices seem to be going up. Granted, we enjoyed some real bargains during covid, on travel. Hotel prices seem to be on the rise. I question if demand will be high enough to sustain the increases. Let's see come April and the low season.

42 million baht. Who are these people? Where is their sense of discrimination, and their ability to survive in this world? Why are some people so reckless with their money? What gives? Who transfers large sums of money without doing some diligence work first? There is a whole subculture in this world, who absolutely refuse to work for a living, and instead like to prey on those who are vulnerable, naive, dumb, and easy victims. It is our responsibility to be careful, prudent, willing to do some vetting, some research, some due diligence, anytime we part with cash. Especially online. Dealing with Ebay, Lazada, Amazon is one thing. You have recourse. But, dealing with Facebook vendors, Instagram, Youtube, dating sites, or any other social media, the scammers outweigh the real deals. People get taken every day. I get junk emails offering me at least $100 million a month. These people are parasites, they barely deserve the oxygen they consume, and we must do everything in our power to deny the online worms.

Haha. If they look very young, some wise men will ask to see ID. Most are not prepared for that. I do agree with your sentiment, though. Hua Hin has alot of older, fatter, and less appealing gals these days. But the same could be said about Samui (even worse) and Bangkok. Not sure about Phuket or Pattaya, as I have been in some time.

I am so thrilled to NOT be in Phuket or Pattaya right now. I have friends who know younger Russians. And they say they are kind, friendly and progressive. I have no idea what percentage of the population these younger people represent, nor how representative they are of the Russian population. I have rarely met any friendly Russians. I can only speak from my experience. Have run into alot of Russians both in the US, and on Phuket and Samui, 98% of them seem to be grumpy, unfriendly and gruff. Some of them are downright hostile. So, perhaps it is not a coincidence that the world is not standing up to support them and show them kindness? Just an observation. Of course, having a serial killing dictator who likes to prey on women and children does not help their cause.

Technically it is 15 years old. But, that applies to Thais only. I know as an American, I am subject to US laws, and an American can be prosecuted for statutory rape overseas, for anyone under 18. And the Feds do come after Americans. They are absolutely zealous about this kind of stuff, and will throw $5 million or more, at your prosecution, and you will likely serve 5-10 years in a federal prison. So, why take that kind of risk?

Criminality in Washington is expected. However, few presidents in history have committed as many crimes prior to becoming president. From tax fraud, to bank fraud to stiffing hundreds upon hundreds of small, honest, hard working contractors out of billions of Dollars, Trump again is #1.