josephbloggs

1 hour ago, VBF said:

Thanks for that - I was unaware of that Moet bar! 👍

I feel a plan forming here......

Visit the Moet bar, enjoy what it has to offer, get on the 777 for my flight home and...….sleep!

 

I'm putting your link in my calendar for my flight home to remind me - cheers! 🍸

Enjoy, cheers!

11 minutes ago, VBF said:

They've put me in the window seat too but I'm quite annoyed at the switch, because part of the reason I choose Emirates Business Class is that  they use the A380 with all it includes! I haven't studied the T&C but I presume that contractually swapping aircraft for "operational reasons" is not something to which I can object. It's the last sector of my journey (DXB - LGW) so when I get home, IF I've found it objectionable, then I will make  a formal objection and see what, if anything, it gets me.

When Emirates first started operating the A380 I was excited to try it so booked business back to the UK. I always check aircraft type when booking, but two legs were last minute changes to 777s which are way behind the A380 experience. I did write a formal complaint as it had upset me - it was the whole reason I chose Emirates: the A380 and its bar.

They did reply that it is their right to change aircraft type due to any number of reasons so they can apologise, but it is normal and you have no recourse. If I remember rightly they bunged a few miles into my account but that was all.

1 minute ago, VBF said:

In 2020, when Emirates stopped flying, I flew TG from BKK to LHR. I found the TG lounge at "Swampy" very unimpressive compared with the Emirates one which, IMO, is actually superior to the one in Dubai. Seeing as how Dubai is Emirates' home base, I found that rather odd.

I agree, I prefer their Bangkok lounge too. More intimate, more accessible. The one in Dubai just feels like a big canteen and I prefer to pour my own drinks rather than have to ask someone for one each time. The only thing superior in Dubai is the Moet bar, that is very cool, but it's only in one of their lounges and I always forget which (just looked it up, Concourse B):

https://www.executivetraveller.com/visiting-emirates-moet-et-chandon-champagne-bar-in-dubai

On 12/24/2023 at 1:02 PM, Irrumator said:

My thoughts exactly.  I can't stand the BTS anyway - dated, dirty, money-grubbing and racist.  Can rarely get a seat, no next train indicator boards unlike the MRT, expensive tickets and unhelpful staff.

DIrty? It's spotless and is in remarkable condition given it's age. The original trains are 24 years old but still in perfect condition. And it is a commuter system running through the middle of a major capital city, why would you expect to get a seat? Criticise legitimate issues if you like but don't make things up - dirty and dated.

4 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

There is something different about diesel vehicles in Thailand.  I smell them immediately I am behind one.  That doesn't happen in the UK.  Maybe they don't have catalytic converters here or DPFs, but there's definitely something very different.

 

I think a lot of the poor air quality is down to diesel engines.

I think a lot of it is down to the lower quality diesel used here - Euro 4 standard. The EU is Euro 6 and moving to Euro 7 in a year or so.
Euro 4 doesn't burn as efficiently and emits a lot more pollutants and particulates. Thailand has been stuck on Euro 4 since 2012.

Thailand is finally moving to Euro 5 as of 1st January.

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40034126

53 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

This is the usual Thai behavior and things like this can be seen everyday on the news.  Why did they single out a white person?

Wow, the AN award for the biggest chip on a shoulder just got won, well done.

Maybe they singled out the the white person because he was the one who actually did it and there was a video of him doing it? Should they have blamed it on a brown person - would that have made you feel better? Are you persecuted? Boo Hooo.

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I'll assume that to mean locally assembled.

Can't imagine anyone manufacturing the parts and batteries in Thailand, all made in China.

You are very wrong.

5 hours ago, Missahhter said:

In the US too, or they'll kneel on his throat until he stays very still...☠️

Only if he was black.

56 minutes ago, sambum said:

 

From my earlier post:- "Giant, aged 2, the Pit Bull breed or Ban Dog that savaged its owner to death last week has been taken to his funeral in Pattaya.

He took part in a ceremony called "khor khama" in which he apologized to the corpse." 

 

Apparently, the dog was sharing the owner's bed when it suddenly attacked and killed him, so obviously it wasn't being badly mistreated. So your statement doesn't wash with me, I'm afraid:- "In certain situations, this dog, when cared for properly and trained, is your very best friend. Your wife, your children, and all of your property are safe with this properly cared for, loved, and adequately trained dog....."

 

It doesn't matter how well cared for and well trained these dogs are it all boils down to the fact that they are UNPREDICTABLE and can quickly turn on even their own "families" for no apparent reason. This trait is in the genes of each and every one of them, so every one of them is essentially capable of fatally attacking people and other animals. Such an animal should never be allowed to be a "pet".

 

Agree, and they should never be left alone around children (although owners do and post pictures of look how cute my pittie is lying with my toddler). Irresponsible nutcases should not be allowed to be parents. Even a "normal" dog should not be left alone around small children - any dog can attack for any reason, but at least a sausage dog isn't going to do too much harm.

I have always had (small) dogs, but they were never ever left alone with my kids when they were babies.

I saw a Thai guy riding a penny farthing on Rama 9 a couple of weeks ago.

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

What if she's lying?

Convict all men just because she says?

He hasn't been convicted has he? So what are you talking about exactly?

(No surprise you were the first one to cast aspersions on a woman's claims without any evidence of your own).

2 hours ago, idealistic123 said:

I'm interested in buying an electric car but know already that Thailand will only be my home for the next 3-4 years. 

 

That's why I'm wondering if anyone has already sold an used electric car? Is there an actual used car market for these vehicles? If yes, how are the prices compared to regular cars? 

I know one member on here sold his after two years for a 10% depreciation, but to be fair his was a very unique car and can't be considered normal.

Used electric cars: https://www.one2car.com/en/used-cars-for-sale?fuel_type=Electric&page_size=25&sort=registered_year.asc

Frankly some ridiculous asking prices. 800,000 baht for a four year old Nissan Leaf?? Outrageous. 

For the crazy second hand prices you should just get a new one. A BYD Dolphin standard range is 699,000 THB, all the latest technology and safety, 400+ km range. An extended range is 859,000 baht with closer to 500km range - just 60k more than someone is asking for a four year old Leaf with maybe 200kms of range at best.  So many more choices out there from Chinese brands.

Just go new, it is a buyer's market right now. I am shocked by the second hand prices.

6 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Thank you for the update.

I have received messages that Seatran are not accepting reservations at the moment as they cannot guarantee sailing times.

Also, not taking bookings for transfers to the airport as again, no guarantees.

Yeah, my friend was going to drive there but Seatran saying no bookings until the 24th (at the moment) as they can't guarantee sailings. So he flew as he needs to be there for Christmas. Nice to see one company taking safety seriously.

Is that Ronnie Pickering on holiday?

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

There are 165000 registered trucks, 24 of which are EVs.

Of those trucks 250 ICE have burnt in the past year, and 2 EVs in the past 6 months.

165000/250 = 1 in 660 ICE burns v 1 in 12 EV burns.

 

Temp of diesel fire = 800c (can be extinguished)

Temp of EV fire = 2,700c (burns steel and concrete, outgassing deadly poisons cobalt, lithium)

 

2 Victoria firefighters have already been given permanent disability retirement after attending EV fires this year.

Yes, those stats for that company are not good, but let's not forget they are aftermarket conversions - I wouldn't recommend doing that for any energy source. How many fires have we seen here from dodgy CNG or LNG conversions?

Overall the stats are that EVs are much less likely to catch fire than a diesel or petrol vehicle. When they do go off they are very dangerous, but they are less likely to catch fire in the first place.

24 minutes ago, still kicking said:

I departed about 3 weeks ago and had no problems because I used the fast lane 

Very helpful.

15 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

A bit more research on the incident leads to this: 

The other interesting comment from the fire brigade was that they had been to 250 diesel truck fires in Victoria this year and this is the first EV truck fire they’ve had.  “It seems like we turn a bit of a blind eye when a diesel truck is on fire but when an EV is on fire, it’s a major issue.”

https://bigrigs.com.au/2023/12/18/why-electric-truck-caught-fire-on-the-west-gate-freeway/

 

Australia’s Department of Defence funded EV FireSafe to look into the question. It found there was a 0.0012% chance of a passenger electric vehicle battery catching fire, compared with a 0.1% chance for internal combustion engine cars. (The Home Office said it was unable to provide data for the UK.)

Elon Musk’s Tesla is the world’s biggest maker of electric cars. It says the number of fires on US roads involving Teslas from 2012 to 2021 was 11 times lower per mile than the figure for all cars, the vast majority of which have petrol or diesel engines.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/20/do-electric-cars-pose-a-greater-fire-risk-than-petrol-or-diesel-vehicles

 

@Lacessit obviously you don't have an agenda and you are simply consumed by the truth, so what does your research tell you about the above? 250 diesel truck fires in Victoria vs one EV fire. Obviously there are many more diesel trucks on the road than electric ones, so how does it measure up? Please exclude aftermarket conversions.

Or how do you disqualify any research (and there is a lot of it) that EVs have a significantly smaller chance of catching fire than ICEVs?  You hold the truth so dear that I am sure you have looked in to it. Or do you also believer the Australian PM is a "mincer" and a "D!ckhead" for letting the populace vote on indigenous rights and no further research is necessary?

Come on, oh seeker of truth.

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I can't argue with his math, two battery fires in truck EV's which works out as 250 times more likely to happen than with the ICE fleet, admittedly from a small EV population.

I focus on the facts and logic he puts into his videos, perhaps your attention span can't get that far.

 

Sorry, when someone is calling the PM a Mincer - and woke -  for supporting a vote on indigenous populations' rights, he is obviously a right wing d!ckhead and his agenda is clear. Zero credibility from there on in.

I find it so hard to listen to him as he is so childish, repeatedly saying  "Jay Anus" for "Janus" - hilarious!! Facts and logic, of course.

But just for you I forced myself to listen to some more of his childish video (I couldn't make it to the end, sorry). The fire was real, the EV was an aftermarket conversion.  Plenty of dodgy aftermarket CNG fires, I don't see what is different.   https://www.firehouse.com/operations-training/article/21162767/close-calls-not-a-wastethe-tale-of-a-cng-garbage-truck-fire

A bit more research on the incident leads to this: 

The other interesting comment from the fire brigade was that they had been to 250 diesel truck fires in Victoria this year and this is the first EV truck fire they’ve had.  “It seems like we turn a bit of a blind eye when a diesel truck is on fire but when an EV is on fire, it’s a major issue.”

https://bigrigs.com.au/2023/12/18/why-electric-truck-caught-fire-on-the-west-gate-freeway/

If you want an EV, buy it from a reputable EV manufacturer. If you want a CNG vehicle buy it as a factory built vehicle. I don't see what this conversion has to do with the safety of EVs as there is plenty of evidence out there that EVs are much much less likely to catch fire than an ICEV. And it seems there are way more diesel truck fires than EVs.
 

Australia’s Department of Defence funded EV FireSafe to look into the question. It found there was a 0.0012% chance of a passenger electric vehicle battery catching fire, compared with a 0.1% chance for internal combustion engine cars. (The Home Office said it was unable to provide data for the UK.)

Elon Musk’s Tesla is the world’s biggest maker of electric cars. It says the number of fires on US roads involving Teslas from 2012 to 2021 was 11 times lower per mile than the figure for all cars, the vast majority of which have petrol or diesel engines.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/20/do-electric-cars-pose-a-greater-fire-risk-than-petrol-or-diesel-vehicles

Please post credible links, not homophobic right wing idiots making childish videos. Jay Anus indeed!

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Nobody saw the practicality of EV's for a long time either, until battery technology advanced sufficiently.

Electric wise, heavy duty vehicles have some way to go.

 

 

"The Prime Mincer is a d!ckhead with his woke referendum". Kind of makes it obvious which side he's coming from and what agenda he has. I didn't pay any attention after that.