connda

A nihilistic view, or perhaps the definition of Nirvana? Nothing left - totally empty.

How interesting? Not what I expected.

‘Bangkok’s Hamptons’: why Thailand’s elite are buying beach properties in Hua Hin Because the polar ice caps are melting and they'll make a killing in insurance claims when their properties are flooded? Probably not. If the ice caps were melting for real? You couldn't obtain any insurance on those properties no less obtain a title.

Am I afraid to die? That's sort of a "yes" and "no" question. From a purely physical sense, the body and mind are wired for survival. That's just the nature of it. When the body and mind face an extinction level threat - it goes into high-gear. Think of situations where you almost died. How did your body and mind react? Then comes the rational and metaphysical sense for those who have cultured it. Especially as a Buddhist practitioner who has done a whole lot of mediation in my life-time. Now note - I didn't say a "follower of Buddhist religion." I said I'm a practitioner. There's a difference. So I don't necessarily buy the Buddhist cosmology hook, line, and sinker. Buddhism is not my 'religion.' Christianity is my religion. That should confuse a lot of people <laughs>. If you dive deeply into your inner being, then you understand a lot of the sign-posts that someone like the man Siddhārtha Gautama hung out for us to see and practice. Just like the man, Jesus of Nazareth. My feeling is that if you have done a significant amount of deep introspection, you arrive at a gnosis - an understanding - and therein - fear of death dissolves. But at the moment of death - those inner instinct may take over. There are people who can see through that fear and beyond. I'm not there yet. Few are. But I have enough experience to understand the gross nature of the 'fear of death' and how/why it arise. Not being a Buddhist arahant (people who can actually see through the fabric of what appears to be 'reality' but is not). From that perspective? I don't fear death. In the throes of death? Well I hope I can apply insight as I release this mortal form. But rationally - I don't fear death. It's part and parcel of birth and life.

When it actually works - or - when the Immigration RTP get a few terminals to be able to tap into that data. This country must have a few hundred government databases none of which share data.

Lazada can find me. Shopee can find me. The Thai post office can find me. Easy-peezy! So riddle me this. Why are immigration's databases so outdated that you can't - right now - find any foreigner declared address in one click? Also - why is your online 90 day reporting 50 years outdated and non-functional so often. Is it running on WIndows 3.1 on Paradox? Lazada can do it Shopee can do it The Thai post office can do it. Why is it such a major problem for the immigration branch of the RTP? Speaking as an ex-computer-science type of guy here in the 21th century, I find your dilemma as one that is self-imposed. It's your own fault. But? Blame the evil non-Thais that you vilify and need to track for the crime of breathing the same air as precious Thai people. And btw - you're database of current addresses isn't going to do squat if someone commits a crime and runs. What moronic criminal returns home to wait for the cops? I'm mean, granted, the RTP have a serious job in front of them. How about that Thai feller with the Farrari that killed one of your brethren and yet is as free as a bird? If you can't find a Thai billionaire how do you expect to find a "nobody farang?"

Yet what he'll accomplish is that he'll alienate the 99.9% of expats living here in peace while making foreigners entering Thailand for the purpose non-criminal activity think twice about coming at all because Thailand now has an even more fearfully xenophobic and racist environment aimed directly at non-Thais than ever before. Boy Howdy I can't wait to see the new and improved harassment measures fit for criminal parolees. Mandatory GPS trackers anyone? New hand-drawn maps to my residence of 14 years to add to the stacks of hand-drawn maps they already have (ain't it time to embrace technology Pak dear buddy? You know, like a printed Google map with GPS coordinates and an "X" where I live. That way if I commit a crime like all of us evil expats plan to do, then the cops can go right to where I won't be if I'm on the run!!!) Another day in paradise.

Most Thai gals don't need a bra in the first place. There's nothing there to support! Personally I'm a fan of gals who are members of the IBTC (ity-bity t**** committee).

Personally - I like the tease. "We're gonna get a 'free shot' by golly. Dohhhhh, short, shorts!!!"

Good question. I watch this boiling front of red and yellow radar images for two hours on the Thai weather radars as it crossed northern Thailand. It just broke up as it hit Chiang Mai and Lamphun. Looked like a lion for the two hours I monitored it. When it hit? "Meow." Turned into a pussy cat. Look - throwing the evil people having sex under the rubber tree into jail appeased the gods. I wonder what the lucky lotto numbers are?

It looks like the front broke up coming over the mountains NE of CM. It hasn't quite got to Lamphun, hopefully it breaks on the mountains NE of our location too. It's here..................

Oh man! I hope nobody has been having sex under the CM-Lamphun highway rubber trees. I wonder how many will be left standing after this hits?

Did You Listen To What Momma Told You? "Would you go follow your friends if they all jumped off a cliff?" No mum. I wound not. How apropos!

Batten down the hatches. We've got a major front headed in from the North East. Best of luck. https://weather.tmd.go.th/lmpLoop.php

Kratom saplings are suddenly a big hit. I've got a nice red leaf variety with four more being shipped. We've got a nice place for them on some otherwise unused land. Was gonna put in bananas, but kratom would do. Too bad Anutin lied about those 6 marijuana plants all Thai commoner were told they'd be able to grow like household herbs. My wife would be growing those too. But - the big guys don't like the commoner's to compete with their market share of the cannabis market. Tie it up with so much regulatory mumbo-jumbo that average people can't participate.

Take an alcohol break. Try Kratom. ????

“My Home is My Castle” - but killing intruders can lead to jail True in the US, at least in the areas of the country I lived in. Here in Thailand - Your Home Is Your Death-Trap Well - at least if you are a victim of an armed home invasion. If an armed Thai breaches the perimeter of your property and forces their way into your home - and you are a farang? Either: 1. The armed assailant kills you; or 2. The state jails or kills you should you fight back and best your attacker. And the RTP will assure the public that "Justice Will Be Found." And in even more absurd cases the state will rule that you in fact robbed the arm home invaded after defending yourself with weaponless hands based only on allegations of other Thai family members of the armed home invader. Why? There's rules for Thais and rules for the evil, "rich" national security risks which all farang are all assumed to be. I mean, we report to the Thai police just like Thai prison parolees. With Thais though - the parole eventually end. With farang expats? - it never ends. We are assumed to be a danger and if we are attacked in our own homes and we fight back??? "Well see - farangs are a security risk and a danger to Thai!" Bottom line??? State Sanctioned Open Season on Farang Expats In Their Own Homes (If you choose to protect your life, limb, family, and property - then - Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200 - Go straight to jail) I find what transpired this week to be one of the most disturbing events that I've encounter since I moved here. The ramifications for all foreign expat, especially farang expats who are all assumed to be "rich", are immense in that we may legally be disallowed from defending our own lives in our own homes.

Deleted.

Because this is not about public health, it's about control. Those who want unlimited power over the populace will ride the crest of the Covid wave as long as possible. Prohibitions are a common tactics of the power elite. It shows the commoners who is in charge. It makes the commoners compliant. "Do as we say and will give a little freedom back to you if you're good little plebs. Obey!"

Which is not a problem is you have the P.3 and P.4 for a legal firearm. My wife ran this scenario past the village headsman as well as the local police as I was away from home for extended periods of time last year. They told her deadly force was allowed if our locked property line or home were breached by an intruder. This is the exact reason the Thai government issues firearm permits - home defense, and most farang would be seriously surprised to know how many Thais own legal firearms especially out here in rural Thailand. Are Thais allow to carry them around? No. But for home defense. Yep. So many constantly comment on America gun culture and yet most can't even see the tip of the gun culture iceberg here in Thailand.

There was a girl from Amnat Chaeoen, a snake entering her home was a concern. She took a sauce-pan, And with heavy-hand, Sent said snake to an untimely urn.

Ask my wife about this today and it seems Thais are as baffled on this as we are. Perhaps this time around we just let the cops figure it all out.

Opss! If the reenactment is correct? Once the Swiss guy tossed the gun over the fence it was a fist fight. Kill someone in a fist fight espcially outside of your home. I've seen Thai and Thai "self-defense" shooting that happened in the yard and the defender ended up in jail. Thai law - go figure. Kill a guy without a weapon in the vicinity? Well, that's manslaughter. Maybe murder although that implies intent. But - I don't know the Thai judicial system. Who knows now? What a cluster-foxtrot. I feel for the guy. My wife is adamant about me not going outside to investigate at night. Just let the dogs do the dirty work as we have a lot of territorial dogs and significant barbed-wire fence. One way or another you'd get torn up coming over. If someone breaks into the house? Well - I could then be in the Swiss guys position. I would never want to be in that position. But - if I need to protect my home and property I'd try my best to be inside the house. Legally is seems to make a difference. Time will tell on this one. I feel for the Swiss guy. This sucks.

Well yeah....me too.

If I walk into a bank or gold shop with a gun and get shot dead, am I the perpetrator or victim?