josephbloggs

Always for me too.

One of them is a Celeriac.

No.

Nonsense.

I agree, but I also think the banning of 2-stroke motorcycles is the early 2000's (Late 1990's?) had a major impact. Those things used to spew out horrible white smoke. Bangkok is so much better now than it was then, although the seasonal burning months are pretty bad and I don't seem to remember that being a thing back then.

Wow, I agree with Transam. I would say it makes no difference. I have owned black cars and white cars, currently have one white one and one dark blue one with a black top and glass roof (but it has a shade). Absolutely no discernible difference when getting in either of them - they both are very hot inside if left in the sun and they both cool down very very quickly with A/C. Go for which ever colour looks best and don't worry about it. All cars have lots of glass windows anyway.

I think headlights do more for visibility at night than what colour paint you have.

I haven't been to Bang Saen for years as I found it a packed and filthy turdhole. Definitely would not ever use the words "crystal clear" in the same sentence as Bang Saen unless it has been considerably cleaned up; I'm not going to go there myself to find out. Has anyone been there in the last couple of years? I just got back from Samet which really did have clean beaches and crystal clear water and wasn't half as packed.

And everyone walks around in their house with their shoes on - shoes that have trodden through so much filth on the streets. It was completely normal when I lived there but having lived here for so long when I go back to the UK and people are sat on the sofa watching TV with their shoes on - it's just weird. (Same goes for seeing blokes walk around in the streets with no shirts on in the summer but that's for another thread).

Nothing to do with it being Thailand. Which other country spends military budgets on general good? Which country takes money from the military and spends it on farmers? Let me know and then you can have your "being Thailand" comment. The UK has cancelled the second leg of HS2. Will they spend the money saved on farmers? Building houses for the poor? Feeding kids at school? I think the sub and HS2 were colossal wastes of money by the way, but saying it is a Thailand thing is ridiculous.

Splitting hairs. Technically it is Ao Hin Khok but no-one ever refers to it as that. It is for all intents and purposes the tail end of Sai Kaew beach.

I'll back that up, stayed there a few months ago. Great location. I always used to like Samet Villa (even going back 25 years) but my main problem is the black cesspit that empties in to the sea next door. Nice resort but I would be walking up to Sai Kaew to swim.

The beaches and sea water quality in Samet are infinitely better than the mainland.

Most are Chinese, yes. This is because the Chinese are years ahead of legacy manufacturers and are making more advanced, better, and cheaper EVs. European andJapanese marques are not in the same league, so of course we see more Chinese vehicles. Nothing to do with "Uncle Xi", just pure market demand.

Do you not think they might have thought of that? Or do people really believe they make these things with exposed batteries such that a puddle will kill them? I don't own an EV by the way before I get called a member of the EV brigade or cult.

Sorry, correct, my mistake.

And how were they "targetting farangs" exactly? Just typical AN paranoid nonsense.

Why are they advertising their prices in pounds sterling?

If you haven't been there before there are a few scammy taxis at the airport who will rip you off. When you come out turn left and walk to the end for the Vinasun taxi queue. Proper meters and decent cabs, don't take any others, just look for Vinasun - they have staff with shirts and ties. "No thank you, Vinasun" if anyone tries to intercept you.

Ok, HCMC is littered with exchange places but always good to get some in the airport for your taxi and immediate needs - just after immigration before you go down for baggage claim, but also plenty downstairs before you leave the airport. Have a good trip.

The first few series of the "new" TG format with Clarkson Hammond and May were funny. Then they just became cliches of themselves and it became really dull. Oh look, they blew a caravan up, oh no something caught fire, they hilariously tamper with each other's cars while they sleep, they crash into each other ("Hammond you blithering idiot!"), let's modify our cars in to something ridiculous - oh no it fell apart/sank/caught fire. Yawn. By the time the BBC ended it it is was tired and very boring unless you were an 11 year old child. Then they did The Grand Tour which was more of the same. The last two seasons of GT were just awful, mostly redoing things they had done before (blowing up caravans, tampering with each others cars hilariously, overly scripted rubbish, crashing into each other, "Hammond you blithering idiot"). Top Gear also went through some bad times with Evans, LeBlanc etc because they were trying to copy the same matey format doing stupid challenges, stupid gimmicks and lame scripted gags and it was too forced. However the last two series found their feet as they stopped trying to copy and instead found their own format, concentrating more on cars which is infinitely more entertaining than stupid forced and scripted road trips. I found the last two series far more enjoyable than the GT. Flintoff was likeable, Matt Harris was the proper car guy, and the other one was OK too. It'll be a shame if it ends, but they should just focus on cars, not stunts.

How did they go "woke"? Ridiculously overused phrase.

It is always packed so clearly handy for lots of people. (yay, I get to be pedantic in response to a Liverpool Lou post)

I always do it in Vietnam. Easy to change USD or THB at the airport and loads of places throughout HCMC. Or just take money out of ATMs there. I must admit I have never checked which rate is better, I don't think it's worth bothering about - I just go for the most convenient rather than worrying if I am losing 100 baht here or there.

And how on Earth do you determine that? You can't even see his face.