Tropicalevo

How can it be a scam? You choose the insurance company. It does not have to be a Thai one. Just as long as it meets the criteria set out in the Thailand Pass.

Cars are more expensive on Samui. You will save money by buying one on the mainland. Long term rentals are available from local car rental people. (One neighbour has rented one for more than 7 years.)

At my annual check up at Bangkok Samui, doc said that May was good for second booster. Samui Festival were offering Pfizer for walk ins 2 days per week (free) or Bangkok Samui for Moderna (fee). I have been to Samui Festival a couple of times but have never seen the vaccine people. Can anyone tell me what days they are there please?

Good luck. ????

A doctor friend of mine, whilst not a urologist, treats lots of old guys. When my PSA shot through the roof, he said that a biopsy should be the last thing that you do. in his words 'you are putting wounds into your prostate and it is hit and miss for finding anything'. Every visit to the urologist here on Samui ended with a 'you should have a biopsy' from the doc. I said no thanks. We compromised with annual MRI scans. After the last one - they were concerned about some changes on the scan so a 'targetted' biopsy was recommended. Results were negative. No idea about the type of MRI but it was at a big expensive hospital near a convent school in Bangkok. I lost confidence with the docs at that stage. The new urologist on the island wants to do biopsies. No thank you so it is a blood test and an ultrasound then 'see you next year'.

I hope that Uncle Tu has a big begging bowl.

I have not needed a PCR test myself, but when we called the various hospitals/clinics etc for guests, the cheapest one was Samui Home Clinic in Bangrak. 077.937.288. I do not know their opening hours. I have also heard (but no personal evidence) that the lab that is on the ring road opposite Samui Town Centre also does cheap and quick PCR tests. (It is where some clinics send their samples to be tested.)

Nice swerve in the photo so that we could see the licence plate number. Lottery ticket sellers beware.

Fake news. Headline reads "Intruder faces death sentence" In reality, the report reads "a crime so serious that it potentially carries the death penalty."

Just a couple of observations re your comment. Short answer is no. The 'taxi mafia' is back. There are GRAB cars but my advice to guests is do not try GRAB if it is time critical. I seem to remember being told that GRAB and non-booked taxis could not come into the airport area. There are 'airport' taxis available. Usual mafia prices but should be cheaper than the hotel car. We use the same taxi for all of our airport transfers and she is a regular 400 baht airport-Plai Laem or Plai Laem-airport.

We look after a number of villas and most of the owners live overseas. So we pay their local bills for them. We have been having fun for two years now with the House and Land tax. Not a big deal as everyone was given 90% discount for their house tax. This year, we received the bills and it was for the full amount. This is in spite of the government saying that a discount would still be given for 2022-23. We contacted the Revenue department and they originally said - 'wait and see'. Now that has changed to 'you must pay the full amount and because you are late, there is a small fine'. They admit that the amount on the bill is wrong and it should be discounted, BUT they have not received the 'official' letter yet so the original bill must be paid. By the way. The small fine is not so 'small'. One owner is 6 days late on a 14,000 baht tax bill. The fine is 1,500 baht. They readily admit that they do not know how or when to give refunds for over-paid bills. Local government at its best?

'Boss' is managing to hide quite well. 10 years and counting.

I think that Prayut still has a court case for slander still pending against the young lady.

I worked in a petrol station in the UK and the 'pump boys' had to make up any shortfall in cash at the end of the shift when the till was checked against sales. Most weeks I lost money. Mind you, this was many years ago when Noah was a young lad. Not sure that there are any pump attendants in the UK any more.

I had not thought of that. Let's see what happens next.

My hate mode is overtaking my like mode. I ordered two printer cartridges COD. One arrived - paid for two. My business partner told me that I should have video'd opening the boxes! No chance for a refund.

PM sent. (I know a man on Samui selling second hand bar furniture.)

Ouch! I hope that the lady recovers OK.

Sorry for your loss. All good thoughts to you and your wife. (My own MIL is a star.)

The correct insurance from anywhere is acceptable. It does not have to be Thai.

The full article is quite interesting. Well done khun Mutsumi.

Historically, May and June have been low season here on Samui. Years ago, hotels and restaurants would close for these months as well as for October, November and December (up until about the 12th/15th.) Then Europeans would start to come back July to September and again in Mid December. It was Asian tourists in later years that lifted the numbers during the 'low season'.

Excellent news thank you. When the cruise ships used to come pre-Covid, the convoys of tour buses and safari jeeps were a real pain.

Not really. I much prefer the truth to lies and deceit. To say - - tells me that it is a lie, or your eyes are closed. I live with coastal villages that are 10 minutes away in either direction from my house (which also has fabulous sea views). I see the sea every time I that I travel here wherever I go - except in Chaweng. Travel around the ring road (57 kilometers) and you will definitely see the sea. Unless your eyes are closed. Then you compare Samui (88.3 sq. mls) with the mainland. Really? I do not understand this comment. All beaches in Thailand are public beaches - unless HM the King says otherwise. Definitely, some tourist areas here are a huge mess and have totally destroyed the island feel, We do not go there. We go to empty beaches and enjoy the island style living, which you cannot do in Phuket or on the mainland.

As this particular guy has a dog, he is probably living and working here.