jayboy

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

Go ahead and prove they are liars yourself if you wish. I have proved my point that  they made the accusation. That's all I set out to do.

They made lots of accusations.I'm not suggesting they are liars.People often attribute motives to other people when feelings have been hurt or where there are multiple sensitivities.I'm not trying to establish whether the racist charges are true or not.I'm just trying to find an example of one.To date nothing credible.

2 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

You can look for whatever you like. That wasn't my contention.

My objective was simply to demonstrate there is scanty evidence to suggest racism towards Meghan at least on the part of the Royal Family.

29 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Please read the thread.

I've read it and assume you have too.

Let's therefore recognize the failure to provide one example of proven racism within the royal family.Perhaps an example will emerge but so far nothing.

Just now, ozimoron said:

His reasons for leaving include accusations of racism. It's not for me to establish if he is lying or not.

Please provide an example.

24 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I said they had complained of racism in the royal family. That was in response to a claim that their wish to estrange themselves was due to spurious, unattributed other reasons. Try to read more concisely.

But you have not been able to identify any examples of racism in the royal family. Harry himself has given a full account of the reasons for leaving, as he saw them.These cover many factors other than racism - are these spurious as well?

I am not sure what you mean by suggesting I read more concisely.

2 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Here is just one. You could have done a search.

 

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/united-kingdom/article/2022/12/09/harry-and-meghan-repeat-accusations-of-racism-against-royal-family_6007201_135.html

Not evidence I'm afraid - just accusations by Harry of unconscious bias.What's needed are actual examples of racism from the royal family not just generalized psychobabble.

Now I come to think of it there is one example of Princess Michael of Kent (Princess Pushy, once described by the late Queen as "too grand for us") wearing a brooch which may or may not have been offensive, a Saracen's head or something like that.

It's true that the British tabloid press is feral and I agree used racist tropes.But they are foul about many people.

7 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

they are widely reported o have complained about racism

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.

1 hour ago, BKKBike09 said:

Prince Harry is shaping up to be Prince Andrew Mk 2,

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.

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.

26 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

Government has decided not to order any additional foreign vaccines.

 

It is nto yet clear if they will permit private hospitals to order them.

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.

On 12/31/2022 at 10:51 AM, Sheryl said:

The newer vaccines are not available. Only the same as before. 

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.
 

On 12/6/2022 at 11:06 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Worry about yourself, geezer, not them, their condition is none of your business.

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

1 hour ago, jaywalker2 said:

But a lot of his success is attributable to the connections he was able to form among the elite.

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.

4 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

Here is an idea, how about we tax the f#^k out of billionaires so we can put that money towards the industry and other social schemes. 

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

5 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

Minor Hotels is a hotel owner, operator and investor with a portfolio of over 75,000 rooms across more than 520 hotels, resorts and serviced suites under the Anantara, AVANI, Oaks, Tivoli, Elewana, NH Collection, NH, nhow, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International brands.

 

Minor Food is one of Asia's largest casual dining and quick-service restaurant companies, operating over 2,410 outlets in 24 countries under The Pizza Company, The Coffee Club, Riverside, Thai Express, Benihana, Bonchon, Swensen’s, Sizzler, Dairy Queen and Burger King brands.

 

Minor Lifestyle is one of Thailand's largest distributors of lifestyle brands with over 390 points of sale, focusing primarily on fashion and lifestyle products. Its brands include Anello, BergHOFF, Bodum, Bossini, Charles & Keith, Esprit, Joseph Joseph, Radley, Zwilling J.A. Henckels and Minor Smart Kids.

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.

11 hours ago, jaywalker2 said:

More proof, if any were needed, that in Thailand (as elsewhere) brains and excessive wealth do not necessarily go together.

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!

On 10/31/2022 at 8:09 AM, Hamus Yaigh said:

Excellent info @TallGuyJohninBKK thanks.

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?

On 10/29/2022 at 6:23 PM, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Earlier this year I went to the DLT to get an IDP for upcoming international travel. I had my Thai DLs, passport, blue tabien baan, red police book and PR residence book and signed photocopies. This was sufficient in the past, including back in 2019 when I got an IDP at the same DLT office. This year they wanted my pink ID, too. This was the first time I had been asked by any Thai official to present the pink ID card and I was a bit surprised when asked for it. Now it makes sense in light of your explanation above.

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.

On 10/27/2022 at 3:34 PM, NancyL said:

While the new Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do a great job of preventing Covid, one big drawback of these two vaccines is that they don't give long-lasting immunity and do need to be boosted.  So if it's been six months or more since your most recent Covid shot, then waiting for the new bivalent vaccine to come to Thailand isn't a good idea.  Go get the "old" Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.  They do a good job of boosting immunity, too.

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.