Tropicalevo

Thailand - the HOA? (Hub Of Acronyms.) ????

The Tessabaan have been cutting back on services for quite a while now. It started with them withdrawing lots of the green bins spread about the island at least 6 or 7 years ago. (Maybe more?) Their argument is that not many people are paying the 'garbage' tax every month. I have noticed that garbage 'drop spots' around where I live are disappearing. Especially where there are developments built for foreigners. Even though we pay the garbage tax for our customers, the government trucks won't negotiate the small lanes on the development. So we have to rent a small plot of land where their trucks will go, and transport our garbage to a 'cage' that we have built there. I notice lots of people 'dumping' their garbage in our cage. I am pretty sure that they do not pay the tax. Most people that I know - don't pay it.

Same for me and I pay 9 baht per unit for electricity. A big saving. And the inverter unit is much quieter. No science behind my comment. Just an observation.

Your comment does not make sense. I have lived here for more than 20 years and I too have never used Ali Express. No need. I can get pretty much everything that I want from Thailand. I do not see the need to fund the CCP in its ambitions.

We had both Ukrainian and Russian guests sharing the same building. Ukrainians in the apartment downstairs. Russians in the villa upstairs. They got on fine. No issues. Most Russians and Ukrainians understand exactly what is going on and are very upset with what Putin is doing (to say the least). Both nationalities need assitance.

The Russian sky may be open but most flights are cancelled. As are their Russian credit and debit cards so how can they pay for new flights? Oh, and their travel insurance is also cancelled. As bad as the Russian government is, I do not believe that they are enlisting mothers and children.

"focus should be on tradition and religion" They missed a bit of Anutin's original quote - focus should be on tradition, weed and religion.

My electricity is 9 baht a unit. No 'massive saving' there.

"Prison" is not the problem either. All of the guests that we have checked in and then who then show positive for Covid, have been found on the second test. Day 5. (They then quarantined in their holiday accomodation. Not quite a prison.) This indicates to me, that the most likely place to catch Covid is on the plane or at an airport. Maybe even in a taxi or a bus! Some friends have just returned to the UK. Negative tests here during their three week stay but positive after arriving back in the UK. They think that they picked up Covid at Frankfurt airport!

Should be no problem. I have just picked up friends that have flown down from Bangkok. One showed the paper certificate (his Mor Prom wasn't working) and the other showed Mor Prom. Both OK. Full plane - mix of Test and Go (tested at the airport?) and domestic (seperate channel). Masks all of the time.

System stuffed up - posted my comment twice.

Good advice. My advice to everyone is - get triple vaccinated. ???? I am an oldie (71 next month) Two chronic diseases. (Lungs and kidneys.) Triple vaccinated - had Covid, no major issues. Mind you, I could be killed in a traffic accident tomorrow. Vaccination will not help with that one. ????

Sorry, but I find it difficult to understand why people would fly to Betong. "Prayut has now ordered authorities to tighten security in every area, especially around vulnerable spots such as transport and railway roads in the area." From The Thaiger March 11th. https://thethaiger.com/news/south/insurgency/prayut-orders-tight-security-amidst-new-southern-bomb-attack

I managed to visit Phu Quoc just before Covid wiped the smile off everyone's faces. Lovely island. Great people. Horrible killer hornets though. (They put me in bed for three days - my friend and I survived.) I certainly cannot see it become a hub for space tourism. Hopefully that is as fanciful as when some people hoped to put a ski slope on Koh Samui.

I can only speak for tourists that are staying in private villas. Since about November last year, they are allowed to quarantine in their villa. They are all OK with using the food delivery people and we wait until their quarantine period is over. First we ask the Tessabaan to come and disinfect the villa. Then we restart our normal service. So far, none of the tourists have had severe symptoms. We do regular ATK testing of myself and others that come into regular contact with the tourists.

More than 2,000 cases on Samui just in the last week. Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Total Reported 10-Mar 11-Mar 12-Mar 13-Mar 14-Mar 15-Mar 16-Mar Covid cases 292 289 277 219 269 362 347 2,055 KPN 82 60 70 57 45 87 56 457

I know nothing about khun Chatchai, but well done to all. I hope that the kids recover OK.

I would think that rising steel prices would definitely impact construction projects. As would labour shortages (stop sending the Burmese back), higher fuel prices, higher concrete prices as well as a general cost of living increase. What planet are these people from?

The UK does accept a full Thai driving licence.. I have always been able to hire cars from airports using my Thai DL. For an International permit, you have to go to Suratthani. When I went for mine, for hiring a car in Portugal, it was a quick, easy process once you got to the correct floor. The guard on duty spoke no English.

Koh Samui has an average of 12 hours of daylight throughout the year. (Between 11 and 13 hours.) Average temperature is about 28 C. (25 C in winter - 33 C in summer.) But as you say, not everyone wants the same things in life. I think that I will still give the Bristol Channel a miss thank you.

I do not think that it is the authorities doing more testing. I suspect that it is people who are found to be positive when self testing. We test all of our staff on a regular basis. I and my friends also test ourselves regularly. We are all in daily contact with tourists, customers and suppliers. Many of whom have had Covid. The Thais will usually contact the hospitals when they have Covid - in order to receive the free medicines. Most of us foreigners who have mild symptoms just self quarantine for 10 days. I had Covid in February. I did not bother to contact the hospital. I just shut myself in my house for 10 days - meetings with staff were through a closed glass door with (anti) social distancing! ???? A friend (again with minor symptoms) contacted the hospital when she tested positive. The hospital asked if she was able to isolate at home. When she replied yes, they said to stay there for 10 days. Neither of us will be in the Samui case numbers! The real numbers are much higher.

I am not sure what your motive is in commenting on an article that is nine months old, and where we have no new details. Going back to the original articles (7th June) - "the actual depth of the water at its deepest point was 3 meters and the pool had been used for diving instruction. " Their room was not made up as the resort was not open at that point. It opened for them. Maybe that is why the CCTV was turned off. Here is a scenario for you. Two elderly people drinking beer (5 empty beer bottles). Hot and so they enter the water. Lady slips on the slope to the deep end and struggles for help. (Fully clothed? Asians often go into the water in their clothes.) Man tries to rescue her - she is struggling and heavy. The lady drowns, the man dies at hospital. He was alive when rescued from the pool. Not that uncommon for an untrained rescuer to need to be rescued. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/more-details-uncovered-in-billionaire-couples-koh-tao-death I see that you signed up so that you could make this post. I am wondering - why?

And how do you suggest that they pay for the tickets when their debit/credit cards are frozen?

A billion baht would support a lot of unemployed people!

Chartered flights sent by the Thai government.