connda

Don't even bother to explain the background of the holiday. Just two cities celebrated it! Whatever it is. Even Thais may not know. Just show up to the temple, hope the monks aren't hungover, and give money.

COVID Not Medical Emergency Anymore So can we take the silly masks off outside in the fresh air and sunshine now?

The family of the cop who got killed by Red Bull "Boss" should have had this lawyer!

Ah-hah! Good catch. The hotel owners will need to put a Shrine to Brahma to rival Erawan's shrine to keep the bad karma and the ghosts of the dead construction worker's away.

That sucks. No OSHA in Thailand, is there. RIP.

Or a yearly donation of 25K+ THB to your favorite agent.

Until the borders open up and the "emergency restrictions" dropped, the days of border runs is pretty much "old normal" and a thing of the past.

It's a good thing when folks who have a problem are finally able to dry out and quit for good. I applaud them! Then there are the vast majority who just want a social drink with their meal and find out that they can't get one due to a religious holiday that isn't part their own religious up-bringing. Imho, all tourist should be able to get a beer or wine regardless of what day it is and at anytime they want one. But that's just me.

But probably not. You've a 1 in 10,000 chance of contracting Covid from fomite contact (surfaces). But the fear has produced a burgeoning market for hand-gel seeing that the primary market for alcohol distilleries has dried up (pun intended). Trust the science! Well, until the science shows there in not much in the way of risk, but the fear does sell a whole lot of alcohol products while Johnney Walker is in low demand while the pubs, bars, and night-time entertainment venues are shuttered. Normal hand washing can mitigate most of the risk as opposed to compulsively slathering alcohol gel on yours hands every time you enter or exit a building (car, taxi, bus, room, etc). And like your mum told you - don't pick your nose or stick you fingers in your eyes. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/surface-transmission.html A. M. Wilson, M. H. Weir, S. F. Bloomfield, E. A. Scott and K. A. Reynold, “Modeling COVID-19 infection risks for a single hand-to-fomite scenario and potential risk reductions offered by surface disinfection,” American Journal of Infection Control, vol. Article In Press, pp. 1-3, 2020. A. P. Harvey, E. R. Fuhrmeister, M. E. Cantrell, A. K. Pitol, S. J. M, J. E. Powers, M. L. Nadimpalli, T. R. Julian and A. J. Pickering, “Longitudinal monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on high-touch surfaces in a community setting,” Environmental Science & Technology Letters, pp. 168-175, 2020. A. K. Pitol and T. R. Julian, “Community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by fomites: Risks and risk reduction strategies,” Environmental Science and Technology Letters, 2020.

That's a good suggestion too. I used to sleep with my computer on. Not much light, but there was some. Now that you mention it, I started having an easier time getting to sleep after shutting off all the light sources and making the room as dark as possible.

I wonder if his toady with all the watches will go too?

And replaced with PM Anutin?

Just understand that the insurer can "say" they will cover an asymptomatic Covid PCR positive, but the fact is that Thailand has indemnified all insurers and they can legally refuse to pay under any circumstances except for those listed by the MOPH. And of course you'll never find out for sure until you file a claim. ???? I'd say it's a <deleted>-shoot. You pay your money and you take your chances while realizing that This Is Thailand. You may believe you made a solid bet and find out later that you're the one paying out.

What's wrong with the rainy season? Most days you get scattered rain in the afternoon. Sunny and humid the rest of the day.

You can always buy beer in the villages.

Then of course you'll run into case where someone has two shots, but it hasn't been 14 days <or whatever cutoff is used> since the last shot so officially they are unvaccinated, yet because they had the shot they want to be in the vaccinated section but told they aren't really "fully vaccinated" yet! Same if someone's Covid Pass has expired. Same if the Covid pass expired but they got boosted but haven't got that magic 14 days under they belt to make they "really fully vaccinated." Oh what a nightmare for the flight crew! Egads!. The unvaxxed go to their seats and strike up a pleasant conversation while the rest of the plane goes out of their minds. ????

Personally I'd rather sit with the unvaccinated. Like minds in one location on the plane. One stress-free place on that flight. So yeah. I agree. Segregate the unvaccinated but give the vaccinated a choice of where they can sit in case they don't care if they intermingle. Maybe some of the vaccinated want to be in the low-stress, drama-free cabin during the flight.

OK. You've got it in control mode. Sounded like you had a habit. If that's a 2 year supply and you're only taking them on occasion. ????

Once you build a tolerance to benzos, the stress and anxiousness you feel is the result of withdrawal. Which is why nobody in their right mind steps on that roller coaster. Just saying.

I have no side effects from melatonin at all. Everyone's metabolism is different. Like any drug (melatonin is a hormone) you take it and be aware of any consistent side effects and adjust as necessary.

Then you'll eventually have to pay the piper as Clonazepam and Lorazapam are benzodiazapines and benzo withdrawal is no joke. I used diazepam on occasion but never longer than a few days. I've had to help a family member withdrawal from a benzo addiction. It was not fun. I've had insomnia problems most of my adult life. What I do most of the time now is get in 30 minimum to 45 minutes or an hour of exercise (incline treadmills is my go to exercise) and then take 10 mg of Melatonin a few hours before bedtime. I'll also use Atarax (hydroxyzine) sometimes. Diazepam seldom. Sauna use during the afternoon also help (I've got a sauna). I recommend staying away from benzodiazapine unless you have good control of your ability to use and not abuse drugs with the potential to create additions. For the guy buying 200 tabs of Klonopin for sleep. Best of luck when you either run out or decide to stop. You'll probably need this link below and you'll wish you didn't. Op! You don't want to go there - no regular use of benzodizapines. Doctors here will hand them out like candy - get a small number of tablets and dole them out only when you really need them - and you don't need them every day. Use exercise and melatonin as your regular regime. Other medications occasionally and only temporarily. Learn some mindfulness exercises and breathing to shut off the internal dialogue. Convince your mind that all the problems you want to think about at night will be there in the morning - then let go of the mind chatter. Easier said then done - it takes practice. Best of luck! https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/ You can buy melatonin here: https://th.iherb.com/search?sug=melatonin&kw=melatonin&rank=0

What is with all these monks suddenly getting catch boozing it up and doing the horizontal-mambo with temple-going women? It gives the word "laity" a meaning it doesn't deserve. Laying with the laity. My wife want's to "kick their a**" Wife's a good Buddhist and is none too happy. Thank goodness none of this is local! <phew>

Cool. Another national Super-Spreader event! Cases should be up to 30K next week. Wife and I met with the local abbot for a short visit and called it good. We just stopped attending mass-gathering as of last year. We're quite happy hanging out at home with the dogs, cat, and bird and work in the garden in the fresh air and sun. I sorta like the hermit lifestyle.

Thailand be being overrun by virus ladened tourists. They need more schemes.

I agree. They should shut it all down. 5 days quarantine in an expensive SHA+ hotel or don't bother coming. All the virus laden foreigners running around infecting good clean Thais is criminal. Lock them up for 5 days for the good of Thailand. Heck lock them up for 10 days to be even safer. The SHA+ hotels will benefit which is good for the wealthy owners.