https://aseannow.com/rss/44-thailand-news.xml/National and regional news from all around ThailandenIndeed it's looking grim. But just imagine if Reform and Farage took power!!Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:55:44 +0000Indeed it's looking grim. But just imagine if Reform and Farage took power!!Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:55:44 +0000ControlSat, 13 Jun 2026 02:55:13 +0000Then that includes you, doesn't it?Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:54:22 +0000In Thai, I think it's called a "Phaiset Phanee" - could be wrong. It's a formal documents with the establishments name at the top, and a whole lot of other info needed. I just needed a formal receipt for some meds I got at a Boots to send to my insurance company, but the only way they could give me that (with my name and theirs on the receipt) was to do a VAT receipt. So that's what they did. But it took them 10 minutes of filling in all the form and printing it in the back room.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:53:49 +0000Just out of interest, who do you think wrote Mein kamph ?Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:53:41 +0000Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:52:46 +0000You raised the issue of Pattaya's crime on another thread. I responded on that thread and my reply hasn't changed. What I wrote: "Crime against farangs". I googled this and it seemed to be a tossup as to whether Bangkok, Pattaya, or Phuket had the most crime against farangs, with Pattaya and Phuket above Bangkok when adjusted for population size. All three places attract large numbers of tourists, and that is where most of the farang crime takes place, with tourists. Google says violent crime is rare, with much of the crime of the petty type--scams, thefts, jewelry snatches, etc. Google also stressed that the amount of crime 'varied significantly' depending on the 'specific neighborhood'. That last is the important thing for residents like me. Most of us are not drunk on Walking Street at 2am, and crime is really not an issue at all. Spouse and I have been here 15 years and have never encountered any crime, or felt unsafe. To be fair, that's also true for the entire time we have spent in Thailand, including visiting many different places. Conclusion: Pattaya's crime, much of it petty, is largely focused on tourists, in the tourist areas. Not a negative for most residents. This latest incident is a good example of much of the crime in Pattaya. It happened late at night, in a tourist area, and it was of the petty variety described by Google, in this case a 'jewelry snatch'.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:52:35 +0000What is his first language?Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:52:20 +0000I've always felt that Starmer will be around for quite a while. He is sitting on a huge majority in parliament most of whom appear to be supportive of him continuing. The quality/ability of those hoping to replace him, including Burnham, is less than impressive, as it is in most of the other political parties. As a result I fear the decline in Britain's fortunes, which has been spiralling downwards for many, many years, will continue, sadly. As a Brit I can only repeat, Lord help us.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:51:50 +0000We seem to have diametrically opposed worldviews. I don’t believe that isolationism is even possible, much less desirable, with so many interlocking systems across the globe, and global problems that pay no attention to borders. The Brits of course were a driving force of globalism, with centuries of colonialism across North America, Africa, and Asia (talk about illegal immigrants!) I don’t know where you stand on present-day immigration to the UK, but for an Anglo-Brit to complain about it is rather rich. Yes, Kaja Kallas’s husband’s dealings with Russia have indeed been a scandal, much commented on in Estonia and elsewhere. As you wrote earlier, no nation emerges from history with entirely clean hands. I don’t think that it substantially diminishes her effectiveness as a spokesperson for Ukraine, and for standing up to Russia, but others may feel differently. As for the Russian-speaking populations in Estonia (and Latvia), that’s way too much to go into in a forum post. I understand your wish to avoid war and live out your life in “comfort and peace.” However, history has shown that, when you appease an expansionist dictator such as Putin (who fancies himself as Peter the Great), well, war often has a way of finding you. Perhaps you should revisit a verse by one of your great poets, John Donne, that I’m sure you read as a schoolboy -- which starts, “No man is an island.” (Another of your great artists, though more contemporary, PJ Harvey, read the poem aloud on stage on the night the results of the Brexit vote came in.)Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:51:10 +0000Everything in that post tells me your ‘research’ is nothing of the sort. ‘3 meals a day western food’ is an assumption on your part.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:50:43 +0000He came to Thailand to kill himself...how well did you know him? How well do you know his family back home?Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:50:15 +0000Are you completely off your trolley? 😂 What has anyone smoking in the presence of family and other families with kids on a ferry, have to do with your starting a thread on this forum in order to bully and rant at other members who had precisely nothing to do with that situation? Equally importantly, what on earth is "take that another place to excuse yourself" supposed to mean? How does your weird excuse for bullying other members translate into me needing to "take that another place to excuse yourself"?? What kind of "man" are you, to come up with that absolute rubbish? Aren't you even slightly embarrassed? 😊 What is worse, is that some dunderhead actually put a like on your post that makes no sense at all 😊Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:50:01 +0000Every Thai city has hotels with 5 to 10k monthly deals. I can stay beachfront in Ban Krut for 10k with pool and free water, coffee and biscuits. Motorbike is 5,000 a month. Food is cheap there. Gym is 50 baht. Beach is great. Room 10,000 Gym 600 Bike 5000 Food 6000 Other 5000 26,600 baht a month. That leaves room for heath care.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:50:01 +0000Ok then. I don't know the history of Russia too well. There were prominent Jewish leaders in Russia, such as Leon Trotsky. So it seems like elite groups battling it out with other elite groups for power and control.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:49:43 +0000Even if Cambodia ordered the tanks before the border conflict with Thailand, it still treats Thailand as its principle enemy. I doubt Vietnam is in the same category. However, Thailand dominates the air so the tanks, if not surrounded by anti aircraft missiles, are symbolic and a waste of money for such a poor country. I suspect they are for internal conflict more than external defense.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:48:14 +0000This is a long running racket and they are all involved..Authorities know who is involved.....Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:46:34 +0000I recall some posters are actually married to government civil servants..(officers with uniforms)Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:46:26 +0000Yeah me too in front of my 7-11 sometimes there's a dog sleeping there. But they don't worry me too much. Dogs are smart enough to know to be cautious when there's too many people around. It's mostly on quiet streets at odd hours when there are not many people around that worries me.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:45:47 +0000Why do you have to choose wisely? If you research health you will find fasting is better for you than food in general. If you eat one meal a day and it's pad thai with chicken you will be more healthy and likely live longer (according to science) than a 3 meal a day western food eater. I fast most days and eat whatever at night and I'm more healthy than a woman who eats salad 3 times a day. I tried to educate her but women don't listen to science.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:44:53 +0000Meanwhile polution levels are higher today/this week in sydney than CM.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:44:04 +0000Ever since that incident where that black kid born in England to immigrant families went on that horrible stabbing spree at a Taylor Swift dance party, I have been wondering whether immigrants face any unique obstacles to socio-economic integration in England. While I fully empathize with the outrage expressed by many over what they perceive as attacks against traditional British culture, the rabble-rousing street vigilante mob rule approach to resolving this problem seems very counter-productive and short-sighted to me. I believe using social media to enflame anti-immigrant resentments every time one of these unfortunate and tragic incidents occur is counter-productive. When I Googled "does England present unique obstacles to socio economic integration for immigrants" I found quite an eye-opening and lengthy list of structural obstacles to social and economic integration. While vetting may need to be improved, I do not believe that the immigrants coming to England are a bunch of blood-thirsty savages who have no hope of ever being able to integrate into British society, and I believe using social media to enflame anti-immigrant sentiment every time one of these unfortunate and tragic incidents occur is counter-productive. Again, Googling "does England present unique obstacles to socio economic integration for immigrants" might provide some food for thought.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:43:59 +0000Whatever. I don't care what's in the deal, just stop the stupid war started by Trump. Let's get the tankers and freighters moving again.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:42:48 +0000Indeed, under the guise of VAT, and then pocketing the money themselves – and there are actually people on this forum who approve of that.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 02:42:03 +0000