jayboy

Don't get touchy and in any case it's not "my world". I was referring, as I would have thought obvious, to the way Thai women are often discussed on this forum by punters.Of course there are plenty of relationships which are "normal" to use your expression - though there are also plenty of long standing "normal" relationships with Thai women encountered in the entertainment industry. (perhaps less so than in the past for reasons due to Thailand's increased prosperity)

I love the way some people say "Thai women" when they mean Thai prostitutes. Do expatriates in places like Pattaya sometimes have liaisons of varying lengths. with attractive young prostitutes? Yes, sometimes especially if it is with uneducated farm girls. That doesn't have any relevance to the reality that most of these expats are losers - under educated,under funded, tubby, tattooed and charmless. Anybody can get laid in Thailand and it's nothing to boast about. As an aside on the bar girl front, the combination of girls with great looks, sharp intelligence and ambition does exist though much less so these days given Thailand's increased prosperity.No girl of this type would give a second glance to the typical expat loser : they have more attractive and richer targets in mind. Clever beautiful girls even from lowly stock tend to rise up the social scale rapidly in every society.

You do realize that this sort of post simply affirms the proposition of the girl's loser comment? She is obviously an uninteresting airhead but the essential truth of what she is saying is hardly in doubt.If there are any farang in Pattaya and similar expat hangouts with a modicum of self awareness, just look around.Thailand doesn't attract successful expatriates much - financial compensation generally being too low and not sufficiently developed.The exception might be bright youngsters seeking a couple of years experience, and of course a few scholars and journalists. At a higher level than Pattata sexpats, the Bangkok foreign community has few genuine stars and the watchword is mediocrity.

No problem at all.In fact the policy of shoveling cash for reparations to Blacks for historical damage incurred over a hundred and fifty years ago is a vote winner.One can only imagine the enthusiasm for such a policy among white and Hispanic voters in the vital swing states such as Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin,Michigan and Arizona.I am sure they will give this excellent policy priority over their own economic hardships.Go for it, Kamala.

This kind of language, almost letter for letter, is often regurgitated by Nazi sympathizers - the pretense of having done serious research, the admission that many Jews died, the refusal to accept respected historians' findings, the pious exclamation that history will judge.These fascist tropes, adapted for the 21st century are well known.Don't accept this junk.

Sir Isaiah Berlin, Social and political theorist,philosopher and historian of ideas. On Churchill "Like a great actor— perhaps the last of his kind—upon the stage of history, he speaks his memorable lines with a large unhurried and stately utterance in a blaze of light as is appropriate to a man who knows that his work and his person will remain the object of scrutiny and judgment to many generations. His narrative is a great public performance and has the attribute of formal magnificence. The words, the splendid phrases, the sustained quality of feeling, are a unique medium which convey his vision of himself and of his world, and will inevitably, like all that he has said and done, reinforce the famous public image, which is no longer distinguishable from the inner essence and the true nature of the author: of a man larger than life, composed of bigger and simpler elements than ordinary men, a gigantic historical figure during his own lifetime, superhumanly bold, strong, and imaginative, one of the two greatest men of action his nation has produced, an orator of prodigious powers, the savior of his country, a legendary hero who belongs to myth as much as to reality, the largest human being of our time" .

But surely the majority of UK expat retirees are not just living off their state pensions.So there is a legitimate concern for most.

https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/harris-still-trailing-where-it-matters-most-xswnlvhpb

What do you mean by this?

Thanks for the corrections which I completely accept, and both your points are very well made. So I suppose it's a question of subjective judgement if one is over 65 and without the kind of ailments that would make the decision more straight forward.

Not sure about that.I would have thought for vulnerable groups including the over 65s it would make sense to hold a stock of Paxlovid. I don't think, given the ease of self testing, that anybody would take Paxlovid just in case.I can envisage myself if having tested positive and experiencing Covid symptoms (they would have to be worse than normal) taking Paxlovid.The barrier is not so much the cost but getting hold of the stuff in the first place.

Government is all about compromise and striking a balance between the ideal and what is practical/affordable/fair.In other words politics is the art of the possible.It doesn't matter whether a government is far left or the opposite.In healthcare for example the NHS cannot provide every expensive drug to every person that needs them.Thus some people are going to die before their time because they do not have access to these life saving drugs.Should the government be accused of "killing people"? I don't think so in this case.

Is it correct that foreigners that do not need visa free travel (eg those with Permanent Residence) will still have to obtain an ETA? Logically they shouldn't but I have feeling they will. PRs tend to be forgotten in this kind of policy change. If the process is as easy as Singapore, no problem.

I think you are being a little unfair.Starmer is more than an over promoted middle manager since afte all he was Director of Public Prosecution which has Permanent Secretary rank.He has the necessary intellect, capacity for hard work and human decency for the PM post.The trouble is he doesn't really have anything else, specifically any kind of charisma or the "vision thing". Everything is blamed on the Tories who certainly left the country in a mess, but the "black hole" he constantly talks about is somewhat economical with the truth.Labour knew pretty well what was the country's financial position before the election and the black hole spiel is essentially cover for inevitable tax increases.The British public is not thick and Starmer's terrible personal ratings reflect dislike of his slippery language.Still it's early days. I think a lot of Labour supporters (the James O'Brien/Alistair Campbell syndrome) are going to be caught out if they are totally uncritical of the government.Much better to indicate support -if that's their position - but to comment critically where appropriate.

You don't have much of a handle on British politics, do you? The vast majority of Labour MPs will put their reservations to one side and vote with the government. Tory philosophy which Mrs Thatcher would enthusiastically endorse.Actually I would support it too and extend the principle in many aspects of British economic policy including the NHS.

Some might but most wont and the government will easily win the motion.But it's stupid politics.Contrary to some comments on this thread I think Starmer is genuinely concerned, not only for humanitarian reasons but also because he will have to keep a closer eye on the Chancellor.The policy itself is not foolish - though I don't agree with it - but it should have been packaged as part of the forthcoming budget alongside some goodies.

That is a gross distortion of the reality, the usual selective evidence (George Osborne would approve) - concentrating on the better off segment of pensioners rather than those worse off, if not the absolute poor.Many new Labour MPs are indignant and as mentioned the Prime Minister is displeased with the Chancellor's position.It's early days but it's becoming clear that this administration isn't very clever at the politics of governing.

There are millions of pensioners just above the threshold (about £ 12,000 pa from memory) who will be very badly affected.Some will have to choose between food and heating. Meanwhile the Government i n a telling indication of its priorities has surrendered to public sector wage demands including the absurd ones for £70,000 pa train drivers. A contact of mine in Whitehall tells me No 10 is hopping mad with the Chancellor who has kowtowed to Treasury orthodoxy without considering the terrible political implications.Expect a U turn, maybe in the October budget.

Thanks for all the very useful information which is sincerely appreciated. One final question.I've read several reports that the motor sales industry is having problems and that as a consequence discounts may be available on new cars, Is this actually true and if so does it apply to all major brands? What would a discount amount to on say a Baht 1.4m vehicle? Last time I purchased a new car in Bangkok (quite a few years ago) discounts weren't available.

You are of course correct.However in my experience those who endlessly bang on about Big Pharma and the exorbitant cost of drugs don't understand the implications of the gigantic costs involved in bringing a new drug to market (not to mention expenditure on R and D which leads nowhere), and the necessity to recover those costs and turn a profit.After the patent period (usually 20 years) has expired the others can produce generic drugs - which are reasonably priced.Of course there are instances of bad practice and price gouging but they are the exception rather than the rule.

This is obviously nonsense (particularly the fatuous explanation of the military coup) but it certainly represents a view point shared by some in the Bangkok middle class, though increasingly elderly and irrelevant like Thaksin himself. Being in Thailand does not in itself convey knowledge or wisdom.To be frank although you claim to have been here for 30 years I would with all due respect suggest you actually have no idea what is going on.That would involve getting outside your bubble and starting some serious attempt to reach an understanding.I have been here for much longer than you but that means nothing, and I would never claim it gave me some special insight.I do however understand the significance - which you fail even to mention - that the arrogant and selfish elites and their captive functionaries have deprived the Thai people of their chosen government.These elites hate Thaksin but have also used him and he has willingly betrayed the people who once put their trust in him. As an aside, any report which states "experts say" without being more specific shouldn't be taken too seriously.

I understand this to mean someone could make remittances from their home country to Thailand based on pre-2024 investments and thus free of Thai tax, but keep current income offshore.Surely on the information known now, that would be completely legal and would not even fall into the category of avoiding or circumventing tax. If Thailand moved from a remittance system to taxing world wide income, that would of course change the game.

I was wondering how many people review their home insurance every year.My home insurance (AIG Elite Home) has shown the same amounts insured for about 10 years.I have lazily never bothered to seek an uplift or indeed seriously review the amounts insured.Of the total sum insured 20% is fixture and fittings and the remaining 80% Building (excluding foundations.) Would one expect the actual insured amounts to increase over a 10 year period?

But that's exactly what's important to me. In Thailand nobody comes close to Toyota's servicing capability.(At least that's what everybody tells me)

I don't know that much about buying new cars in Thailand (my former company dealt with that side of things). However I'm in the market to buy a new Toyota (prefer that brand for ease of service among other things) for mainly Bangkok use, taking kids to school, local shopping and the occasional trip upcountry.Looking for robustness and safety rather than performance.FWD not required but OK if comes with right car. 1.Is it courting problems to think of buying a used car in Bangkok? 2.Otherwise assuming new, which Fortuner or similar recommended? Would consider Corolla Cross. 3.Budget Bt 1 mill to 1.6 mill Thoughts gratefully received.