2 hours ago, Hummin said:

Model?

Versys X300

Not a large bike, but light, some off road capability and can manage the magic 100 MPH .... Just 😁

Ideal for Thai roads.

5 hours ago, sidjameson said:

Very cool.

Can you explain in terms an idiot could understand how you with an image in one location can send it to another? I presume it's laptop via antenna to laptop right?

Yes, that's basically it! Rather than using a microphone with the transceiver, you send the data 'sounds' from a computer program to the transceiver, (since the latter doesn't care what kind of sounds you send, voice or audio tones etc). The receiving equipment passes the audio tones to a laptop program which converts those tones into 'pixels' to make up the image.

The software is all free, the transceiver is not, and the ham radio licence is usually not expensive, but if you do this, avoid Luang Prabang at all costs, because the local 'pigs' (best name for them..) consider licenced radio hams to be spies and will arrest and deport you lol!!

Join a website meet friends then abuse them online without fear of a kicking eh Harris

8 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Versys X300

Not a large bike, but light, some off road capability and can manage the magic 100 MPH .... Just 😁

Ideal for Thai roads.

Versys is nice, and I didnt reckonize it with first glance, had to use AI.

Camping is one thing I havent done in Thailand, or fishing inland.

I can camp outside in 10 minus, but hot climate, not a chance. Me and the wife packed up for camping trip in Norway summer two years ago, but ended up staying most of the time in hotel. Midnight sun and 30celsious killed the spirit, and just a handful of mosquitoes (each hit with my hand)

On 1/24/2026 at 4:36 PM, Baht Simpson said:

Gardening is the new sex.

I prefer the old sex. There is less, but gets better in some ways...

On 1/24/2026 at 4:02 PM, Harrisfan said:

Millions retire each year. What are the best hobbies for them to do ? Surely there are 5 or 6 things better than mopping floors.

Get a job. It´s a waste of time to retire. ;-)

11 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Get a job. It´s a waste of time to retire. ;-)

It's a waste of time to work, if you have money.

Did anyone mention fornication?

4 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Get a job. It´s a waste of time to retire. ;-)

Yeah do both!

If you're really bored, you could become a Chief provacateur on Aseannow

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

It's a waste of time to work, if you have money.

Tell that to Elon, Jeff Bezos and so on.

Bridge league

Pool league

Volunteer teaching

Joined Rotary, that could be a full-time activity if you wanted

On 1/24/2026 at 4:12 PM, ravip said:

For a start, learn AI

This is the best suggestion - highly topical, great to feed (or re-awaken) your curiosity, and contains infinite discoveries, learning adventures and opportunities for those who look.

On 1/24/2026 at 4:13 PM, Harrisfan said:

AI is just googling stuff.

You're not trying hard enough.

Try this:

1. Ask your personal chatbot (ChatGPT, Google Gemini, etc.) to help you create a personal improvement plan
2. instruct it that it can ask you 10 questions about yourself first to understand where to start from
3. Read the response and then ask yourself how you could have got that from 'googling stuff'.

Spending all my mornings (after cycling) playing World War Z: Aftermath.

On 1/24/2026 at 6:35 PM, Harrisfan said:

4WDs are very common in Thailand, especially in the form of popular models like the Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max, and Ford Ranger, which are manufactured in Thailand and widely used across the country. These vehicles are favored for their durability, reliability, and suitability for both urban driving and off-road adventures.

• Manufacturing Hub: Thailand is a major production center for 4WDs in Southeast Asia, with many Australian and international 4WD models built there.

I'd like to help. Spoiler alert - I used AI for the answer. I apologise in advance for bringing reasoned information to an irrational debate. 😁

Question: Can you tell me the proportion of 4WD pick-up trucks in Thailand compared with 2WD pick-up trucks?

Short answer: in Thailand, roughly 70–80% of pickup trucks are 2WD, and about 20–30% are 4WD.

There is no single official government dataset that publishes a clean national 2WD vs 4WD split, but multiple market, tax, and pricing sources converge on this approximate ratio.

---

Why 2WD dominates in Thailand

1️⃣ Tax policy strongly favors 2WD

Thailand applies much lower excise tax on 2WD pickups, especially single- and extended-cab models.
By contrast, 4WD pickups are taxed closer to passenger car rates, making them significantly more expensive.

This creates a strong price incentive for buyers to choose 2WD unless 4WD is truly needed .

---

2️⃣ Rural & commercial buyers prioritize cost over traction

Pickups are widely used for farming, logistics, and small businesses, where:

• Payload capacity matters more than drivetrain

• Roads are often paved or manageable without 4WD

• Lower purchase price and fuel cost are critical

---

3️⃣ 4WD demand exists — but is niche

4WD pickups sell better among:

• Off-road enthusiasts

• Mountain and flood-prone regions

• Premium lifestyle buyers

• High-trim urban buyers

However, they remain the minority, largely due to higher upfront and running costs.

---

Estimated Market Split (New Pickup Sales)

Drivetrain	Approx. Share	Typical Buyer
2WD (4x2)	70–80%	Commercial, rural, value-focused
4WD (4x4)	20–30%	Off-road, premium, specialist use

---

Supporting context

Pickups dominate Thailand’s auto market due to tax advantages and economic utility, but most are bought in lower-cost trims rather than premium 4WD variants .

---

If you want, I can also break it down by:

• Brand (Toyota vs Isuzu vs Ford)

• Region (Bangkok vs rural provinces)

• New vs used market differences

• Estimated real-world ratio based on roadside observation in Thailand

• Or even historical trend over time

14 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Spending all my mornings (after cycling) playing World War Z: Aftermath.

Time wasting ...you need to do more productive

Reading ,compiling statistics etc

On 1/24/2026 at 7:31 PM, emptypockets said:

You have over 16000 posts in less than a year. Over 44 posts day on average.

I don't think you are in a position to comment on anyone's life

Could this be a case of acute vitamin D deficiency? 🤔

Why not relax and enjoy retirement go for a walk read a book

Watch the movies and sport with a couple of cold beers

Enjoy being with your family

Time waits for no man

On 1/26/2026 at 9:14 AM, tomazbodner said:

If you're really bored, you could become a Chief provacateur on Aseannow

... but only if you're up for a challenge. I notice there's some formidable competition...

Kicking coffins

I thought I would get some ideas for my impending retirement here, but all I read is childish squabbling about cars.

Could we get back to the topic?

On 1/25/2026 at 1:34 PM, georgegeorgia said:

Have you tried compiling statistics?

Google is your friend

21 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Google is your friend

Please try to keep up Darl , I know your old but that's no excuse

I'm writing I am the one DOING the statistics not google ,I supply Google

55 minutes ago, Purdey said:

I thought I would get some ideas for my impending retirement here, but all I read is childish squabbling about cars.

Could we get back to the topic?

I Skydiive. Been doing it for 45 years.

55 minutes ago, CFCol said:

I Skydiive. Been doing it for 45 years.

I did it once was fun

Muff dive now

On 1/24/2026 at 6:46 PM, Jeff the Chef said:

World Championship Muff Diving for me.

or yodelling down the canyon as it's sometimes called, yes i remember those championship's well.

1 hour ago, CFCol said:

I Skydiive. Been doing it for 45 years.

I would love to do that

Do you know if they have it in Bangkok?

I want to go up in a plane

On 1/24/2026 at 4:16 PM, ravip said:

If you learn the intricacies of it, you can be very productive.

Can you give us an example?