jayboy

Did they? When? I 'm aware there was a report about one member of the royal family speculated what the couple's first baby would look like.Details were very vague and Harry/Meghan contradicted each other on this subject when "interviewed" by Oprah. I find it difficult to get worked up on this particular issue not least because it's a conversation I have had with my own Thai wife - actually she in initiated it - about my first child.I suspect many members of the forum have had similar conversations. Racism is an easy card to play these days.Once dealt it lies there sizzling and any attempts to refute often just make matters worse.Take for example William's advice that Harry should take his time with Meghan - surely not racism but brotherly concern that a divorced American actress needed a bit of time. My hunch is that the problem was more about class and culture, and Harry's understandably thin skin about almost everything.

With respect, my belief is that Americans are the brainwashed ones - the absurd exceptionalism, flag ceremonies at schools which would not be tolerated in other Western democracies,obsession with guns and toleration of unimaginable violence as a result, religious dogmatism long abandoned by most civilized countries, adherence in semi religious way to an anachronistic eighteenth century constitution put together by slave owning country gentlemen (mostly of British stock), endemic racism etc etc. I admire the USA and certainly don't think the above generalizations apply universally.However before criticizing other countries for being brainwashed, probably best to reflect on these matters with humility. As to royalists in the UK they are in a strong majority, though less so with the young and ethnic minorities.Actually the monarchy has often been unpopular in history.Your insights and knowledge are obviously limited on this subject so I won't engage further except to note that the evidence for racism in the royal family is very limited.

Harry is a far more likeable and impressive person than his uncle Andrew.That's why the current standoff with his family is so sad.With Andrew there;s nothing to feel except contempt.

No he wouldn't. All of William's children would have precedence starting with Prince George.

Thanks.I wish I had thought of that.

I have a 2016 Macbook Pro which is working fine but the battery will need replacing soon.Is this a straightforward matter for Apple service outlets in Bangkok and how much approximately will it cost? Advice gratefully received.

Thank you.Existing stocks will presumably shortly be exhausted or time barred.Going forward, is Government going to require all vaccines (and improved vaccines) to be produced in Thailand and is there a domestic capacity to do so? If an awareness develops - as it has in the USA and Europe - that vulnerable groups need bivalent vaccines, it will be hard to resist pressure to import. Anyway it will be interesting to see exactly what the official confirmation says.

This certainly the case as of now and to be clear we are talking about the bivalent vaccines which are highly recommended for vulnerable groups as boosters.I haven't looked up the reference but I certainly remember several months ago Government spokesmen undertaking that these would be available in Thailand in due course. What's puzzling to me (perhaps it shouldn't be) is the total lack of information on the subject from sources that should be up to date on it.Specifically when very approximately will these vaccines be available in Thailand? Nobody seems to know.Perhaps there's a feeling that Covid is done and dusted.Who knows? Incidentally congratulations to Greg Watkins of the British Chamber who has been awarded the MBE specifically for services to British nationals in Thailand during the Covid-19 epidemic. Some will remember the unhelpful and actually rather lazy position taken by the departing British Ambassador on the question of vaccines.He seemed to think that "getting assurances" from the Thai authorities was all that was needed.The situation was saved by a more vigorous and empathetic new Ambassador, Mark Gooding, in concert with the British Chamber in obtaining vaccinations for those who could not get them elsewhere.

Julie Birchill nails it. "Likely, both believe that they’re up there with the world’s legendary lovers, but there’s more than a whiff of the imperious Miss Piggy and her adoring Kermit about them"

There is nothing in itself unusual about an alcoholic drink in the morning.French workmen traditionally enjoyed a small glass of red wine in the morning. The depressing aspect about Pattaya (I dare say the scene is repeated in other parts of Thailand where tedious old farang gather) is the combination of inane conversation, obesity, smoking, repulsive tattoos, ugly "girlfriends", horrible accents, limited education and racist invective.It makes the task of those trying to project Pattaya as an upmarket destination (often burdened with gor blimey vowel sounds themselves) as rather challenging

Very much so but his astute formation of alliances with those who really matter in Thailand goes back well before the Prayuth coup (at least 20 years before), ie at the very highest and most influential level.Look at his investors and look at the Minor Group Board of Directors.Those who who suggest he is somehow less than Thai rather miss the point.He is in fact completely and typically Thai and entwined in the Thai world, not least because in he acts and behaves like a top Sino-Thai businessman, and he knows how to play the game through deep understanding of the Thai business world.He's no angel and certainly has the necessary ruthless streak (look at his recent record on London's iconic Wolseley Restaurant in Piccadilly) but the vast majority of comments on Heinecke on this thread are based on a comprehensive ignorance. P.S His business genius didn't manage to avoid an existential shock in the late 1990's financial crisis, but he was far from being the only top player in that position.

That'll work,Why not drop a line to Prayuth.It's not as though Thai billionaires have any influence with this administration.

I'm not sure that a boycott by our merry band of brothers (let's admit it - not particularly upmarket) would have much effect on the Heinecke behemoth.

You do not know the man.Heinecke is a highly intelligent operator though like many entrepreneurs of the highest rank he has no academic credentials to speak of.He has his faults (who doesn't?), the most conspicuous being his total adherence to the exclusion of other considerations to the fortunes of William Heinecke!

Some very good information.There's one point on which I'm still unsure which is, based on the present state of knowledge, is it recommended that for the at risk groups, including all those over 60, booster jabs should be had every 4-6 months?

Actually this goes beyond what has been reported.It is the first instance I have ever heard of the Pink card being compulsory to complete a transaction, ie as opposed to being one of a choice of ways of confirming residence.The fact that you are also a PR and had the documents to prove it makes this episode very weird indeed. Having said that it's a sign of the times and I recall it was initially impossible for expats to get Covid jabs without a Pink card.

I think you are most certainly correct in what you say. However nobody in government or the medical profession seems to be giving advice on this issue.In short if one has had the two jabs and subsequently two boosters, should we (the over 50's and other vulnerable groups) - after six months from the date of the last jab - now be getting a third booster? May not be so easy as I have impression stocks are running out or "mot welaa."

One aspect not yet I thinkcommented on here is that every other ASEAN member country voted in favor of the motion.Thus Thailand is the complete outsider here.

Many thanks.I see that an arrival card has to be submitted up to three days in advance.

Have to make Singapore visit but not clear of current Covid related requirements.Does anyone have up to date info?

No it's not possible. Markets have held up quite well in the last three years, and prudent investors will have no complaints. It is however evidence of another immutable truth.Never deal with investment advisors who are based in Thailand.They are mostly slick yobs (see also Pattaya real estate dealers) with zero ethics.Even the more plausible are generally shysters baffling the lower end of expat society with meaningless jargon.Hyperbole ap[art, if they were any good at their trade, they wouldn't be based here.Thais are not interested in their services.

OK thanks for pointing this out.

It's obvious that many foreigners in Thailand detest taking sensible precautions such as mask wearing in crowded public areas.There's a feeling, not really justified by evidence that Covid has gone away for good. On this forum the section devoted to matters Covid has been prematurely removed for reasons unexplained as far as I know. Wishing does not make it so and in the USA and elsewhere the Covid numbers are ticking upwards.In short I think the careful approach of most Thais is sensible.

Correct. The British Embassy website makes the same mistake - 'If you have a Thai resident visa and usually live in Thailand but you cannot return within the required year, the Thailand authorities will grant you an extension to your compulsory return deadline. You must return to Thailand as soon as you can.' I suppose they would say that if the Thai Foreign Ministry describes it that way, why should the Brits say differently! It's not that important.PR's will be able to figure out what the Thailand Foreign Ministry means. I doubt whether those responsible for the Embassy website have the slightest idea.They probably just scribble down what they're told.

Actually as regards foreigners joining the Government Covid vaccination programme, a passport was necessary but not sufficient by itself because it doesn't have the 13 digit number. The pink card does have it and thus was consistent with the computer software requirement.