Tropicalevo

"poses a real threat to Thailand’s financial stability" The biggest threat to Thailand's financial stability is the military government that came to power illegally.

So the whole thing is a waste of time then? Most 'silver shoppers' that I know of are struggling to afford to even eat.

A very general statement there. The problem with general statements is that they are not 100% accurate. I checked a guest out today who said that he had found a great place for snorkelling. (sw coast.) This depends on the monsoons. Now - pretty bad everywhere, especially on the e and ne east beaches. Earlier this year, friends were snorkelling off Chaweng beach and saw stingray. They said that the waters were crystal clear. (I posted about it at the time - somewhere on this site.)

Well done. I have not heard that one for a very loooooong time.

And it is schitte on the Andeman side as well in monsoon season. Luckily they have rainy seasons at different times. Everywhere in Thailand has the monsoonal weather. Looking at your post, I guess that you would prefer to live on the coast in the south of Thailand. It can get chilly up north. The four main populated areas are:- Phuket. Pretends to be an island but more like the mainland. Koh Samui. You know that you are on an island, with added cost/transport times. More quiet than Phuket. Pattaya. On the mainland to the east of Bangkok. Pre Covid times it had a large entertainment area. Hua Hin. On the mainland to the west of Bangkok. More genteel than Pattaya All four areas are popular with tourists. Both domestic and International. If you are coming for four months, then why not spend a month in each. For more peace and quiet, drive around outside the main towns. English is spoken almost everywhere in these locations, less so the further away that you go outside. All four areas have good medical facilities. Good luck.

Well done to the rescuers. ????

A good point to remember. I stopped using DHL many years ago. I was being asked for customs payments but they would not give a receipt. On one shipment from the UK, I was told that there was duty to pay and that I had to go to Bangkok to collect it. I live on Koh Samui. I told them to return to sender. It eventually arrived on Samui with no charges.

"sexual abuse and exploitation of women which are a growing proportion of Thailand’s criminal offences and are often linked or intertwined with drug abuse." From ta previous articles here.

Yet they want to legalise drugs and reduce prison sentences. Logic is not this government's strong point.

It's worse than that. It is 'these generals in uniform' and they are going to be around for a very long time. ????

I suspect that this number is misleading. Are all of these addicts in gaol solely for taking, dealing, transporting drugs, or were there other crimes being carried out (theft, rape, assault, fleeing from a crime, dangerous driving etc) as a result of the drugs. Fact of life - people involved in drugs commit other crimes.

Very well done to that passenger. ???? Lives were probably saved.

A reward usually works here. When anything gets stolen on our development, I have managed to get it back (except cash). I tell the police, security, gardeners, housekeepers etc etc that there is a reward. Works every time. One time a guest lost a cat. We found three!

Very good points - especially the absence of 'Local' supplier now. Real paininthearse.

But some guests have had to go into 10 day quarantine because they sat next to a person in the taxi on the hotel transfer and that person tested positive for Covid.

Bangkok Airways had 20 flights inbound to Samui yesterday. Two from Phuket and the rest from Bangkok including the two 'Test and Go' flights. A friend was talking to hotels last week regarding tours and a few of them confirmed 100% booked until the end of January. Drove through Bangrak and the flags were out for Lomprayah at the Lomlahk pier. Lomprayah usually use this pier when they close the Pralarn pier in Maenam. I tried to book a seat with Lomprayah next week but fully booked??? I know that there is a FMP on the 19th but I would not have expected the ferries to be full that far ahead. FMP - another Covid cluster coming up?

The only people spreading Omicron fears are the government and the press. I am meeting tourists every day. Both International and domestic. People in the tourist industry and outside of it. Friends, neighbours, people in the local towns etc. No one that I have met has fears about Omicron.

"pledges Thailand will become hub of luxury liners" Take the 'n' out of the last word and you have a more realistic ambition.

But he was jailed for a different crime - destroying documents. Presumably the documents that he destroyed were the evidence for the fraud.

He is still not as badly off as the dead black panther. No sympathy from here.

Not often that one sees a 'tell all' real estate agent. Well done Khun Jongrak.

"No lockdown, Omicron is under control: PM" (AseanNow) The Thai economy is definitely vulnerable, but not because of Omicron. The PM has that under control. It must be the Generals' policies that are causing the problem.

Sadly, those numbers are way too low. 12,304 was the number that was published in Thailand for 2019. That report said that the real number is higher. Thailand only admits to a road death if the poor victim dies at the scene of the accident. If the person dies in the ambulance, at the hospital or any where else, then that is not counted as a road death. The WHO reckons at least 20,000 'official' road deaths each year. For 2018 the reported number was 22,543

Those trucks appear to be from the same company. Looks like a convoy. Driving too close together?

I find the reports very confusing. Are they arresting traffickers, or are they guides that are escorting people who have paid to be brought to Thailand?