connda

We're back to dying "with" and dying "of". Unfortunately that statistics are mired in hyperbole and fear.

I love the smell of racism in the morning.

Never had Covid. Never had a shot. I've been around multiple people with full-blown Covid. I'm officially "elderly" so I should be dead. You people are overlooking something. I'm not going to point it out to you.

No doubt half of Thailand will die of Covid. Well, at least according to the status quo MSM. Soon will hear: Chinese vaccines are **** and all these Chinese will transmit Covid to the rest of us. More likely? The Chinese, having lived in a virus/bacteria/pathogen bubble will come to Thailand and get sick interacting with those harboring residual infection. Sorta like when the US Army and US settlers killed off Native Americans with no resistance to small-pox. You pay you money and you take your chances. Personally I think exposing yourself to pathogens and allowing your immune system to work is a better idea. Yeah, some people die like the elderly and infirm - most people don't, especially as a virus goes into the mode where they are more transmissible but less lethal. The human immune system is a wonderful thing. Let it do its job. "I might die!" Everybody dies.

I'm surprised they weren't kill while on the road.

In the US. Thank Soros for that. "Hi! Want to steal upwards of 990 USD in merchandise in the US store. Not problem! A Soros backed DA set you free to go do it again. Empires end. Badly.

When has it been different?

Democracy in Thailand (and many other places). Find a way to disband you're political opponents party and make it illegal. Democracy in the 21st Century - what a joke.

I'm looking for a pair of running shoes or cross-fits. I don't want to deal with going to the big malls. are there any other places to buy them outside of the Chiang Mai malls?

Possession in nine tenths of the law - unless you're a Farang.

Well you just learned an important lesson in life. Our car is in my wife's name, but we've been married 15 years and even with the occasional pissing matches, we're together for life. If she dies? The car is mine as it's in her Will. But registering in the name of a 'girl friend?' There's you're major mistake. Kiss that car goodbye. Let it go and rack it up and a "Lesson In Life." Then buy another car. Hope the first one didn't cost much. People love driving status symbols. I bought my Suzuki brand new for 350K. I simply want a car to get me from Point A to Point B. And at 55 miles/gallon? Works for me. But how many people do that. So many people want the bells and whistles, fancy-pantsy, Hi-So, BS. What's the difference between that and my 350K new Suzuki? Nothing. It gets you from Point A to Point B. The rest is just hubris. What did you spend on the 2nd hand? 600K? 1M? Hopefully for your sake it was a cheap junker. Really - that's all you need or a nice cheap new car.

Btw, @PJ71. Some IOs are rude as hell. Most are rather emotionless. Some are actually rather nice. <I appreciate the nice ones!> The rude IOs are a minority. If you're married to a Thai and you think the IO is rude? Let your wife do the work. Stay the heck out of it. Your Thai wife will understand the implicit status of the IO and accept it, but face saving Thai women are not going to be demeaned by a government official for no reason as its a loss of face. Now the same IO can demean you, but you're not Thai, so what are you going to do? Sorry, but the rude IOs are racists and don't like foreigners? What can you do? If an IO demeaned my wife, who is syrup-sweet with her speech? She's different. She start working her way up the command structure looking for an apology and and change of attitude. Maybe you need a more assertive wife? As a farang Non-O? You have no leverage. As a Thai citizen with a backbone? I've seem my wife at work when Thai officialdom assumes that she is a sniveling nobody. But she ain't your normal Thai. She is one of the most assertive Thais I've ever met. Bottom line? Let you wife do the talking and stay in the background. Word of wisdom.

Where was your wife? I don't deal with the IOs myself. I let my wife take care of all the discussion and only answer questions when asked. Luckily in my district, we've been dealing with the same IO for years (that's a plus for being in a small district with a magnitude more Myanmar workers than Farang expats). But still. I take a number, and when called I give the wife all the paperwork and let her do the talking. It's just easier. Let your wife do the negotiating and stay in the background. Things will go better - honest.

If I ever get in an accident that is my fault in Thailand, I will immediately blame "Brake Failure." It works every time, right! Do what the natives do!

Did they get the size of his penis? Foreskin or not? Public hair color? Shaved or not? We need more specifics to catch these heinous criminals.

For the Pro-Vaxx crowd: Keep getting your mRNA boosters on a regular basis. Safe and Effective!

BTW. Retirement visas with money in the bank is pretty much a slam dunk. Why bother with an agent? I used an agent once when living in Chiang Mai as CM Immigration was simply a mess that I didn't want to deal with. Like back when you need to get there before dawn to get a queue ticket. It was ridiculous. It seems things have changed now, but I don't live in CM and use a different office in Region 5 where there are few farangs and a lot of Myanmar workers, but Immigration processes each class in different buildings.

Get your passport back and find a new agent.

Probably so.

They'll blame the entire incident on a few of the lowest ranking enlisted pukes and then bury the whole fiasco.

Than submit a police report that your agent has disappear with your passport.

It will be a cold day in Hell when those of us married to Thai women will be allowed to use a "E-Extension System" for an yearly extension of stay. Married 15 years and still have to take pictures sitting on a freaking bed. Why not Boom-Booming too? There ain't an E-Extension System in any of our futures. Trust me.

Link to video?

100%. You've nailed it. It's about obedient and deference to authority, herd behavior, and the fear of being considered "outside of the herd" and hence "losing face." Wife and I went shopping today. Big C, Makro, and some other Mom and Pop stores like our pet food store (we got 8 hungry dogs, 1 cat, and a bird). I wear a mask around my neck in the stores. If asked? I'll put it on. I've never been asked. I made one exception today when I went to SCB (play along to get along) as they have a sign at the front door asking for mask compliance. I've no problem with that. So the only time I put the mask on my face was when I entered the bank, and when I took a pee (I actually think masks in toilets ain't a bad idea) <laughs>. Now my wife. Puts her mask on as soon as she exits the car. Period. And it stays on until were back at the car. "Face" and cultural compliance as far as I'm concerned. In my own humble opinion, wearing a mask outside it the definition of paranoid behavior as well as slather alcohol on your hands at every doorway (Even the CDC studies show that 'fomite contagion' (picking up Covid off of a surface and getting sick) is 1 in 10000. Oh heck, here's the link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/surface-transmission.html Wife and I have an agreement. She doesn't give me any grief about being maskless ("I can't control this crazy farang husband!") and I don't give her any grief about wearing a mask (which I think are useless - well, until your in the restrooms where toilets and urinals are being flushed. Although? It may be a great place to boost you immune system if you're younger in and excellent health already. But I'm really up front with this. Those who chose to live in a pathogen-free bubble? You're killing yourselves in the long-term. But? Up to you. I'm in good health for a 70 year old and I'll continue to challenge my immune system. If I die? So be it. Everyone dies. Look at NancyL (a friend) here in Chiang Mai. 68 and dies in her sleep. I can only wish for such an exit. But - everybody dies. Some in their prime, and Nancy, the last time I saw her, was in excellent health. So why worry. You'll eventually crock too. I'm not masking up, social distancing, or becoming a member of the herd. I just refuse. Because I don't live in fear.....well.... My fear? Living to 100. Yet my grandad did. I'd be happy to check out in the next 5 years. I'm tired, I've outlived my nuclear family as well as my only child. Bring it. I'm not afraid of it. I'll welcome it. Yeah - I'll probably live to 100.

Attribution and sources. Where did you dig up your sources. Please link them. You've used it and it wasn't for you, so you disparage it's use. "I feel it can be addicting even at low doses." Well in that case, you should avoid it and any other opioids. But? We're all different. I've had surgery with propofol as one of the general anesthetics. A couple of times. One of the thing I've had both doctors and nurses comment on is the fact that clear the anesthetic very fast. They come by the bed and ask, "Why are you awake, you shouldn't be." But I am. "Then, how do you feel?" Clear headed and ready to have you give me a shot of morphine for the surgical pain. I don't clear morphine as fast, so it works pretty well post surgery. But I'm speaking for myself. We're all different. Which is a fact that most Thai doctors I've met can't seem to grasp when it comes to palliative care. Something to ponder: The word "addiction." Opioids, as well as SSRIs (Tram is an SSRI as well) can cause physical dependence as well stop working unless you up the dosage. So Tramadol does cause a 'dependence' as in if you stop or cut the dose you go into withdrawal. The body builds a resistance to the dosage. SSRIs do the same. It's a fact Jack. Addiction is not having the self-discipline to know when it's time to cut the dose, and stop using it altogether. Tramadol as an opioid/SSRI needs to be cycled. Really. You have to occasionally quit using it. Then when you restart (using but not abusing) it works again. Addiction is also falling into drug abuse. Using it as a beneficial adjunct to pain management is having the self-discipline to cycle it. How many people can do that willingly. I've no answer other than - I can. But? I blame a lot of the post-use addiction behavior directly on the doctors who perscribe opioids but then don't provide the patients with the plans and tools necessary to taper and withdrawal - which ain't pleasant. I'm just being blunt: You need a lot of self-awareness as well as self-discipline. As I stated in a previous post - if you have an addictive nature - don't take it. Or if you do take it (via prescription and doctors orders) then research the drug thoroughly. Wanna know why the US has an Oxycontin epidemic? Doctors will prescribe it, but most doctors don't work with their patients to inform them that they will need to withdrawal, and then make a prescription and a plan for the patient to taper off Oxy. Nope. Those with addictive personality take it, like it, and then don't want to quit. But if you don't want to ruin your life? You gotta quit. If you're taking opioids for chronic pain - you HAVE TO cycle which means consciously quitting, taking a break, and then restarting. And then doctors who prescribe Tramadol. In there training they are taught that it isn't 'addicting.' Well? It depends who you give it to and whether of not the doctor follows up with the patient to make sure they are tapered off the drug. Now, if you talk to a NA addict (I'm not moralizing, just being realistic) they are going to have a 180 degree different view from myself. They have to. Their lives literally depend on it. And FYI. When using Tramadol? I have no problem with any alcohol interaction. Some people may. I don't personally.