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Posts posted by spidermike007
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Decent choice. It is a spectacularly beautiful province, you will have easy access to Samui, Krabi, Phangha, some incredible nearby national parks, etc. And the weather is nice. It can get hot, but you have good breezes, more rain, and way better air quality. Smart move. Keep us informed. The riverfront area is nice for dining, the central market is good, and the highways in the province are some of the best in the country. Otherwise, it is a fairly non descriptive town. If it were me, I would find something just outside of town, as the surrounding areas are very scenic. The air quality around large parts of the country stink, between now and April. The authorities should be holding their heads in shame, if only they had any pride, or concern for the masses. So much could be done to improve this situation. I have a simple solution, since so much of the pollution can be traced to the burning of the crops. It has been made illegal, but as usual, nothing is being enforced. So, it continues.
There is a very simple solution to this problem. If the authorities were interested in solutions. The burning has to stop. There are alternatives, to this 19th century technique of burning after the sugar cane harvest. Either the government starts to encourage farmers to switch to more environmentally friendly crops, or they start to penalize farmers for burning. This heinous burning, is leading to a tremendous degree of environmental degradation, and alot of lung disease. So here is what I propose-
1. Fine the farmers 5,000 baht for a first offense, and give them a stern warning, that burning is now prohibited, and the second fine will be very harsh.
2. For a second offense, fine the farmer 100,000 baht, and warn them that if the burning continues, their land will be confiscated.
3. On the 3rd offense, confiscate their land. Period. No questions. No legal proceeding or appeals on the part of the farmers. Allow others to come in and purchase the land at a fair price, with the caveat that sugar is prohibited as a crop to be grown on that land.
The news would travel faster than the toxic smoke, and farmers would change their ways overnight, and move into the 21st century.
Then they can move on to tackle the sale of diesel vehicles, and the government's enthusiastic support of such. It is inane in this day and age. Most nations are moving away from diesel for good reasons. When they are not well maintained, they foul the air, with large, nasty particles. And who properly maintains their vehicle here?-
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2 hours ago, ChipButty said:
I've not been to Samui for about 10 years the place looks a dump like some shanty town in Bombay, they have had ample time to re tarmac the roads and re paint the kerb stones depressing place that looks
The primary issue there, has always been a mayor that is so corrupt, it boggles the mind. He stole hundreds of millions of baht, earmarked for the Ring Road projects many years ago, and went on a buying spree, acquiring many small hotels around the island. Finally, the pressure got to the boiling point, and he started spending some money on the roads, the sidewalks, and the sewers.
I moved to Samui over 15 years ago. It was still fairly close to paradise. Over the years it became more and more developed, the construction never stopped, the hillsides became inundated with villas, that could not be sold, nor rented out too easily, due to over development, and too much competition, and now it feels like one of those diners, where the dishrags have not been replaced for years. Wrung out.
The other issue I realized, is that there is very little local pride. Most of the locals (people born in that area) left a long time ago, with their cash. So, nearly everyone living and working there, are from other areas, and there is very, very little pride in the island. Unfortunately, it really shows.
The reality is, that if you get away from the Ring Road, or are sitting on some of the hillsides and some of the beaches, it is a very beautiful island. As shown here. But, it is shame it is not better maintained.
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17 hours ago, newatthis said:
Mike, you wonder what these people are thinking when they throw their weight behind a man who is a compulsive liar lacking any sort of integrity. Surely, losing is better than trying to live with all the deceit necessary to back Trump. At sometime in your life you gotta say: “I am better than this” and walk away believing morality is higher than loyalty
Yes, good points. Anything for a buck? Protection of the status quo? Who knows. Very hard to get into the mind of a die hard Trump devotee. One conservative friend says Trump already lost, fair and square. And the other? He sent me this message this morning. And he is a sharp guy.
Dear Donks -
The burden of proof is on you to prove you aren't stealing this election. Everything you've done so far are the actions of the guilty. Don't feel safe because you think you'll win in a court of law. You have to win in the court of public opinion. And right now, there are 70 million Americans who KNOW you're stealing.
Good luck trying to govern against that.
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2 minutes ago, J Town said:
And SDNY is starting to salivate uncontrollably.
Before all of this is over, we very well might see Little Don joining Thaksin in Dubai.
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An awful lot of people are going to have egg on their faces, when this is all over. Chief among them, the orange one, his insane sons, Rambling Rudy, and nearly the entire cabinet. And Graham was not particularly smart to offer assistance with the legal fund, to fight the results. Some seriously inferior and desperate brains at work.
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Utter desperation is setting in. And this guy is being true to form. He is without one nanogram of grace, dignity, honor, courage, patriotism, or honesty in his entire body. Biden is on the verge of winning Georgia. It will happen within minutes, or hours. And that puts him one electoral vote away from victory. Yet, the orange one screams they are stealing the election from us! Stop counting votes in the states I am ahead, and keep counting votes in the states I am behind in. What does this guy think a democracy means? Has he ever pondered that? Does he even care?
Billions of people around the world cannot wait to put this nightmare in the rear view.
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Anyone, absolutely anyone would be better and more honest than this guy. Who does he think he is fooling? Does he even have a slight hint at how despised he is, at this point in time?
He and his cronies are running the nation into the ground. They claim they want to restart tourism. They claim they want to attract more foreign investment. Yet, everything they do is destroying the dreams, hopes, aspirations, careers, and future of the nation. They are the most regressive force possible. What sacrifices are these cowards willing to make for their people? None. It is all about the guys at the top, and the protection of the ivory tower and fortunes that are being made by the 00.2%. I suspect the future is not going to be kind to these guys. May the youth prevail!
Their reactions to recent events show utter desperation on the part of these brain dead dinosaur nitwits, who cannot adapt, cannot think on their feet, cannot lead the nation forward and cannot comprehend the sentiment of the nation, nor why they are so stunningly unpopular, and hated. They are so afraid, so gripped by panic, they will try anything, without giving a moments thought to the consequences.-
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9 hours ago, a977 said:
Wish Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Bank would apply these new rule, just to get new passbook require Passport even when showing old passbook is full
Yes, the banking is the same as immigration. They always require the original passport, except for money exchange. Usually a copy is fine for that. Or a Thai DL. Those are the only times my passport leaves my safe, unless I am leaving the country.
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Say it ain't so. Was in Samui recently. It is absolutely devastated. Granted, it is cleaner. And the beaches are deserted. But, so many restaurants, hotels, bars and shops have closed, it is rather depressing an environment for the average tourist now.
Will take some time to see how this all shakes out, but it is my opinion that the economic fallout from the inane economic shutdown, is going to be 200 times worse than Covid itself, and the recovery "ramp up" will be long and excruciating. Far longer than they say. It will not just bounce back. In the history of the world, as far as we know, there has never been a deliberate worldwide economic shutdown. It is light years beyond dumb. The "slowdown" will last well into 2021, for certain. And some industries may never come back, or will be a pale shadow of their former selves. No doubt homelessness will skyrocket in the US. Tourism in Thailand will never recover to even close to it's former levels, and that leaves millions out of work.
Tourism is not returning to Thailand anytime soon. If you think about it, the group that comprised perhaps 60% of all arrivals (lower to middle income Chinese and Indians) are the ones who have been hardest hit by this idiotic worldwide economic shutdown. Tourism in Thailand will never recover to even close to it's former levels, and that leaves millions out of work. Most countries will still be required to have Covid letters, as the virus is still raging in many countries. And some countries will not issue that letter (impossible to get in the US). Plus, will the mandatory health insurance still be required? Will it be even stricter than before? And just what are people returning to, or coming to? Will restaurants be open? How about nightlife?
There are so many unanswered questions, it boggles the mind. Thailand will be feeling the effects of this for a very, very long time. So will the rest of the world. But, one thing is for certain. If they want to put the millions of unemployed back to work, they are going to somehow find some creative juice somewhere, and start implementing some effective plans. No plan involving any sort of quarantine will work at all.
The longer they wait, the harder it will be to restore the industry. People have short memories. Thailand was already being forgotten by millions, before Covid, due to a dozen reasons. Now? Too many alternatives. This administration continues to see Thailand as the COTU (center of the universe). Say it ain't so! No humility seem to be getting learned as of now. The army needs to figure out a way to muster up some courage, and re-open the nation to tourism. There are many ways it can be done safely, and there will be some risk, but nothing like the risk of not opening, and remaining sealed off from the world, like early 19th century Japan. Not even close.
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8 hours ago, hasitha77 said:always keep your passport with you.!! even-though they unable suspect you with DUI they will find a way to approach to your pocket as long as you are not a thai citizen. NO COPIES.. ONLY ORIGINAL PASSPORT. or keep 1000 baht stand by. ????
Total nonsense. I never carry my original passport. I utterly refuse to do that. Too valuable. Not required. Ever. Only when going to immigration, or leaving the country. I always keep a color copy in my wallet, and a photo of my visa. Never had an issue. Anywhere. A driver's license is always fine, and my pink card is available as an alternate ID.
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This shows you how incredibly out of touch with reality these fools are. No connection whatsoever, or they would understand they are not only the laughing stock of their nation, but they are known around the world, as being ineffective, incompetent, and super corrupt.
Thai police are franchisees. They are about revenue collection, not law enforcement. They are about as detached from law enforcement, as Prayuth is detached from working for the benefit of the masses.
However, having said all that, the one good thing I will say about them, is that they tend to stay out of my face, which is good.
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Please stop the nonsense. You cannot spread something, when there is nothing here! Just more panic mongering. If and when Thailand opens up to tourism, it may be a different story. It would be easier to catch a 10 lb. wild sockeye salmon in the Gulf, than it would be to catch Covid in Thailand right now.
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Democracy at work. Kudos to the social media platforms who resist the lies, deceit, ill will against the American people, and hatred perpetrated by this utter loser, Don the wannabe godfather. Sorry Don. You and you awful spawn will have to disappear into a life of obscurity very soon. Looks as if Biden is about to win this thing. You tried. You lied, you deceived, and you will now try to steal the election. Ain't gonna happen.
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It is impossible for Trump to disgrace himself, as there is no dignity, pride, grace, statesmanship, or decency to save. It is all long gone, decades before he became prez. You can make an argument that he is disgracing the party, and several party leaders have already distanced themselves, from these lies and this nonsense. But, the party has towed the line with Trump to the point where it has lost alot in the way of credibility.
Biden appears poised to win this thing. And that is a great thing for the nation, and the planet. Imagine if Trump won again? He would just become more of a liar, and less of a leader. See ya Don!
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A ten year plan? Has this administration followed up on anything for longer than a month? Proclamations, declarations, crackdowns, and then nothing. Only a void. Zero follow up, on anything. For me, that is the very definition of incompetence, combined with insincerity. A dangerous combination for all.
There is absolutely nothing in the way of a deterrent here, and both the local governments, the central government (weak Little P.) and the police do not take traffic safety seriously. Not even one iota. The safety of the public means less than zero to the small men in charge here. Nothing. They show that on a daily basis.
They will not do a thing. Why? They do not care about the people one iota. Not the common people. Not the average pleb. No way. Never have cared, and may never care in the future. It is all about protecting the elite, the super wealthy, those that are connected, and those in power. The rest of the population? They do not matter. The ex-pat community does not matter. And the police and the absolute joke of a "highway patrol" will not get involved unless an accident has already occurred. There is no prevention. None.
The idea of getting the police more involved, is an interesting one, and it would be an effective one. But, the issue is money. They are grossly underpaid, and until the government steps up, and spends the trillion baht on updating the police equipment, and paying each cop a living wage, it is not going to happen. Until then, they will just work the franchise.
The only way to survive here on the road, is to be patient, have eyes in the back of your head, drive with caution, and always, and I mean always watch out of the other guy. Chances are, he does not have much driving skill, nor patience, nor reason, nor common sense. You cannot be too careful on the road here. Especially considering that the toy police offer no traffic safety, nor enforcement of the law.
When I was growing up, we took drivers education courses. They showed us horrendous films, of semi trucks plowing into cars, and literally obliterating everything in their path. They also showed us graphic images of head on collisions. 120mph impacts. Even as a young kid, it made quite an impression. It was horrific, and it was hard to get those images out of your head afterwards. But, it left a lasting impression, and when I started driving, I understood it was serious business, and that it was a very dangerous thing to do. Also, my Mom gave me alot of tips, advice and driving lessons. She was very kind and patient with me. She was always stressing courtesy and respect for other drivers. My guess, is most Thais do not benefit from the same kind of experience and teaching skills?I see people driving here, with their entire families in the car, and doing things, and taking the kinds of risks no rational or sane person with common sense would do. What for? To gain one minute? Why take those risks? What is the logic? We are talking about your wife, your kids and yourself. A terrible accident would utterly devastate or eliminate your entire family!
Often, when I am cruising along at 100kph, someone cuts right in front of me. Or someone comes out from the side road, right in front of me. I have to slam on my brakes, or change lanes to avoid him. I look in my rearview mirror, and there is nobody behind me. So, if he had waited two seconds, he would have had completely safe passage onto the highway. What gives? Where is the intelligence, caution, and prudence? Where is the common sense? What about just the survival instinct? Where is that?
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Alot of silly babble. But, I do agree Biden would help the US economy. He would provide much needed stability, in contrast to the constant chaos of Trump, who will hopefully be ousted today. In terms of the baht, and Thailand, who knows? The economy here will suffer for years to come, unless the toxic army can be ousted, and progressive minds can rule the day.
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No question it is going to get worse. And few in a position of authority are facing the music. Courageous of BAM chairman Bunyong Visatemongkolchai to state the truth. The pain will be felt for many years to come. I anticipate condo prices to drop by nearly half. It could take a few years.
A friend of mine recently moved to Pattaya. He looked at condos in Jomtien. He walked into one of the nicest towers, looked at a 36th floor unit with panoramic views, and when he was quoted 26,000 a month, he offered 10,000. They settled on 13,000. He said the agent more or less admitted the building was nearly empty, and they could not rent or sell anything, at this time.
Demand is way down. The Chinese market is nearly gone, Russians and others are very hesitant to commit. And the long term tourists are gone too. So, who does this leave? Wealthy Thais, many of whom see the market collapsing, and would rather wait and see how all of this shakes out, and ex-pats, many of whom are smart enough to be shopping for bargains right now.Anyone interested in buying a condo right now, would be better off waiting awhile. Timing is on your side. Time is now your ally. The economy is going remain devastated here, for a very long time to come. And the longer this goes on, the more people are going to be affected by it, and the more desperate some will become. For the wealthy it barely matters. They will just sit on vacant units. But, there are many middle income people who have money invested, and there are alot of Chinese and Russians who bought, and cannot even visit Thailand. Some of them will want to unload their properties. Wait. The condo market is severely overbuilt. And demand is low, for all but the top buildings, in the best locations.
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21 hours ago, NanLaew said:
In your first paragraph, you pointed out how "goons in charge" have imperiled the Thai sex industry.
In the second paragraph, you failed to mention ANYTHING that ANYONE can do to change that.
The youth can keep up the pressure, and eventually oust the toxic army from power.
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21 hours ago, newatthis said:
Besides a big, toxic mouth what are her abilities / qualifications to be in parliament?
Sucking up to the powers that be. Honoring her commitment to never, ever represent the people, and always sell out her principles for almighty baht.
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If one were to calculate the amount spent on tourism infrastructure here, by private parties and international companies, it is probably close to a trillion dollars. And those entities counted on an administration to have their back, in the event of an emergency. Big mistake!
I doubt if we will EVER see 20 million tourists here again, in our lifetimes. I predict no more than 300,000 tourists in 2021. Even before Covid, the industry was declining. Numbers were up. Quality of tourists was way down. Things change and Thailand did not get with the program, and do what it needed to do. Many other more progressive nations did. The army has been moving the nation backwards, and betraying both the Thai people and investors, long before Covid.
The longer they wait, the harder it will be to restore the industry. People have short memories. Thailand was already being forgotten by millions, before Covid, due to a dozen reasons. Now? Too many alternatives. This administration continues to see Thailand as the COTU (center of the universe). Say it ain't so! No humility seems to be manifested, as of now.
So, we have about 3 trillion baht missing from the economy, minus the little bit of domestic travel going on. 20%! Millions of jobs. How long will that vacuum remain? Will the army develop some guts, courage, creativity and stop the panic mongering? It is unlikely. And what about the people? They are not really a consideration. If you are not rich or connected, you do not factor in. Woe is the average Thai, who worked in tourism.
What can one say? Desperation is setting in. Heads are going to roll. Just returned from Samui. Utter devastation. 90% of the businesses on the beach road were closed, and hundreds of hotels are closed and for sale, many at half price. Trillions of baht are going to be lost here. Annually. Tourism will NEVER recover. Not in our lifetimes. Too much timidity. Too much cowardice. Too little juice and creativity. Such small minds.Get out Prayuth. Admit failure. Get out now.
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Unfortunately, there are many who are defending the status quo. They are dinosaurs, with static minds and are petrified of change, moving the nation forward and are protecting the elite and class structure, at all costs.
A good example is the recent exchange between the Thai hero Mind and the regressive MP Parina.
Parina insisted that the pro-democracy activists were only 100,000 in number, a minority compared to the “tens of millions” who wanted absolutely no change in the government or *******.
“Don’t act like a revolution. It’s impossible to change the ruling system,” Parina said.
Parina, 44, constantly interrupted Jomkwan and Patsaravalee, 25, and drove the show into five minutes overtime by countering the activist’s remarks.
Without prompting, Parina also made many mentions to Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, deposed leaders of the Future Forward movement that the status quo often blames for the nation’s ills.
“Thanathorn would never be able to be PM, even if he was not disqualified. He has no abilities. If he did become PM, and coronavirus happened, everyone would be bankrupt and millions would be dead,” Parina said. “If Thanathorn was PM, would you even come out to protest?
Have you ever seen such toxic and fictitious fear mongering? Remind you of someone?
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Snipes is a real character. He has alot to say in this interview, and I have always been fond of him as an actor, and as a man. The reality is, he had the wrong accountant. Trump likely committed the same crimes, but had the right accountant and lawyers. And being black did not help either. He did not deserve a prison sentence.
Glad to see him getting a second start. He is talented and a great screen presence.
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14 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:
But then, life was never fair.
And that is precisely why we have to strive to make it such, with our own actions, which is the only power we have to influence others, behave in a noble manner, and make things right.
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Prayuth is the worse thing to happen to Thailand in a very long time. He is a boil on the face of the nation and has to go. Everything he is, and everything he and his incredibly toxic administration represents, stinks, and is the opposite of what this nation needs to move forward.
The opposition would be participating in a sham, if they agreed to any sort of "reconciliation" with this fool, and his sham administration.
They are to democracy, what fracking is to conservation.
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I've decided to pack up and move to Surat Thani for the dry season
in Central Thailand
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Agreed. Kao Sok is amazing. Both sides. In case you did not make it to the western side of the park (the park is huge) it is all jungle. Requires proper gear for hiking, pants, light raincoat, boots, etc. But, worth it. Amazing canopy.