connda

Depends on the city. Cities with foreign tourist are going to find a lot of them don't wear or carry masks. With Covid moving to the status of 'communicable disease under watch' as well as maskless foreign tourists arriving in Thailand, these place are going to need to get over their fear of a pandemic past if they want foreign money. It really is past time to get back to normal.

There are always 'experts' out there that claim to know the laws but have never dealt with the process of purchasing and registering a firearm.

Home invasions and murder are not uncommon. Example below that I've seen too many times in the time that I've lived here. There is a methamphetamine epidemic here as well as people who have no respect for the sanctity of human life and would kill you for a few thousand baht - or - kill you simply because they know that all farangs are "rich." Like Covid shots, some people want them, others do not. Same with guns. It's up to each individual to define what make them 'safe.' Although it's not wise of be in possession of an unregistered firearm in Thailand.

Stimulus checks? If the government doesn't stop printing money those stimulus checks will be offset by double digit inflation until we reach the Wiemar Republic of the United States. Europe is already there.

Marijuana is not physically addictive. You're not going to find research papers on THC being physically addictive because it isn't. I've looked. Most papers will suggest that it is psychologically "addictive". There is a huge difference between the two. Then they call the dependence a "marijuana use disorder" Nicotine is highly physically addictive. Alcohol is physically addictive. Opioids are physically addictive. Benzodiazapines are physically addictive. If you quit one of these substances after continual use, you'll suffer from physical withdrawal. Back in the day I smoked pot daily for a number of year. Then I took a job where I couldn't smoke (<deleted> tests). I had absolutely no physical withdrawal symptoms. I do know people who have an admitted psychological dependence on cannabis. But that is not physical addition. Anything that makes you feel good can be addictive including sex and exercise. Maybe sex and exercise should be made illegal? 'eh? But change my mind. If anyone can find a published research paper in a reputable medical journal show that cannabis is physically addictive, please drop a link. I'd love to read it.

You're in a very small minority. Most people who indulge don't have problems. I use to indulge a lot back in the 60 and 70 an I don't know of anyone who had marijuana induced psychological problems. However, if you have pre-existing psychological problems, any 'mind-altering drug' could exacerbate the symptoms. But making illegal to save a minority from themselves? If it screws with you head don't use it. Personally I don't care for it anymore, but that's just an age and experience thing. Been there, done that. Well, there are definitely more people in this world who attend AA meeting than NA meetings. Alcohol is significantly worse, but pretty much only outlawed in Muslim countries.

I have savings and individual accounts at BKK Bank and SCB. I've got passbooks for all the account. No problem. Debit cards for the individual account. I only draw from the savings using a passbook (you'll need your passport too). It's really not a problem. Go to the bank in person.

"As Thailand enters a post-pandemic era, with the virus being reclassified as communicable disease under watch..." So have they classified Covid as a communicable disease under watch yet, or is that in still being discussed?

As well as having a Highway Patrol that is used to cite dangerous moving violations instead of being used to escort VIPs down the highway. The Highway Patrol has one mode of enforcement - roadblocks. Totally ineffective and essentially a money-maker. Nothing to do with road safety.

Flashing your unregistered firearm online (can make out the serial number too). Humm ???? You may want to give that a second thought. Just saying....

Legal, registered guns are pretty much limited to middle/upper class citizens. A typical handgun is going to cost you 90,000 THB upwards. They ain't cheap. And the registration process can be a multi-week if not multi-month process at your local Amphur. Hence, people go the quick, cheap route and hope they don't get caught. However, if they use the gun in a home defense situation, most will find themselves in jail for possession of an unregistered firearm. Not very smart.

My concern is that the Covid shots are being marketed now as a therapeutic prophylaxis in the treatment of symptomatic Covid as opposed to a vaccine that inoculates you from contracting and transmitting the virus. We were told straight out by world leaders and their experts that "If you get the shot, you'll be immune to Covid." That proved to not be true. Sadly. The FDA can say 'safe and effective' until the cows come home, but the fact is that a large number of people who get the shots get Covid. Even the CDC is recognizing the fact. To gauge how effective they are at stopping contagion, just look at how many world leaders and their staff who have been vaccinated and multiple boosted have come down with Covid. It's pretty much an everyday occurrence if you watch the news. Personally now that their are therapeutic antivirals available to control the severity of a Covid infection, I don't see the point to the shots - imho. In my opinion however, do whatever you need to do to feel safe.

I'm not sure if I had it or not. May have had it in August 2020 as almost everyone in the Tambon had bad upper respiratory infections. I may go to a lab to get a antibody test to see if I've been exposed now that a positive antibody test (not an antigen test - different test) won't flag you for an unwanted stay in a Covid ward.

So does Favipiravir, Molnupiravir, and Paxlovid (soon to be availabe OTC in the Thai pharmacies) with more therapeutics for Covid in the pipeline.

Good for the reservoirs this year.

And then it costs you another 20,000 THB to stay out of jail when they come looking for your unregistered gun. TIT ????

Serious fines and jail time for having one. However, the registration process is lengthy. Been there, done that. And the prices for pistols/revolvers are about 5 times the price in the West and for rifles/shotguns about 3 time the cost. And even carrying a gun to the range with the proper paperwork can be problematic. It a trip that can cost you upwards of 20,000 THB. It makes it tough to practice.

In the US, driving the wrong way will get you tossed in jail. It's incredibly dangerous. 2000 THB fine. That shows you why Thailand maintains it's ranking of The Most Dangerous Roads in the World. My last encounter with one of these fools was driving northbound on Highway 11 near Lamphun when Khun Idiot was driving the wrong-way down the highway in the passing lane. The truck behind almost hit him head on. Morons. And just a 2000 THB fine and a slap on the wrist - if you're caught. There is a U-turn near a Highway Patrol station where people routinely drive the wrong way down heading north on the southbound lane. The cop shop is about 100 yards away on the other side of the road. The BIB simply don't care. As far as charging drivers without helmets 2000 THB? You can't bleed a rock, especially after bankrupting the lower class during Covid. The "non-essential" people don't have money.

I preferred Reservoir Dogs. ????

Batman (2022) Surprisingly good for a concept that has been rebooted a hundred times. But unlike most reboots? I liked it.

Which is what happens when cities are built near, on, or below sea level.

Bangkok has been flooding regularly during Rain Season for the last 15 years that I've been here. Every year they pay lip service to remedying the problem. Every year they do nothing to remedy the problem. Hence - continued flooding. That's what you get by building a city on a swamp and then destroying the canals that funneled the water back to the river. You can't cure stupid.

Me neither. I simply unsubscribed. Why bother? ????

The MSM is just catching up with the obvious?

We're not exactly in the First World here.