Jump to content

Stevemercer

Advanced Member
  • Posts

    1962
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Stevemercer

  1. I doubt if you could buy these in Australia (so they would be prohibited from import). Some toddler might stick his finger in it or maybe the method of death to mossies is considered cruel.

  2. 3 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

    Not happened this year and the Council boats have gone back into storage. We were flooded for the two previous consecutive rainy seasons. The rivers can't cope when they release the water. I can't imagine any solution to that. At least the Royal Thai Army delivered sacks of rice beforehand!  

     

    I live in Kosum (near Khon Kaen) where peple have been flooded out over the last two years because the irrigation authority has released too much water, too fast in the last month of the wet season. Both time the weather department predicted late season heavy rain, but it never materialised. The irrigation authority was obviously trying to lower the dams in case of a deluge, but erred in releasing far too much water. They could have released it slower and over a longer period. They normally pay compenation, but it is a pittance.

     

    Maybe it is a difficult decision, because if late rain had arrived, and the dams had not been lowered, maybe there was a risk of the dams overtopping.

  3. 18 hours ago, Northstar1 said:

    Thai male’s simply don’t want anything to do with falang. Unless it has to do with a beating. Polar opposite in Vietnam, they call me over to sit with them and offer me food and drink.

     

    I'm not sure this is the case, particularly in rural Thailand. Go to a karaoke joint or Mor Lam for a bit of dancing, and Thais will be lining up to buy you a beer. (The women will be lining up for you to buy them a beer) I'm sure they would do the same if you sing, play a musical instrument, have some other talent or make an effort to be inclusive. I find Thai men are not at all uptight about a farang chatting up women (unless it is their wife) because there are plenty to go around.

     

    I have a few male friends I cycle with or ride motorbikes with. Having said that, I don't really have any close friends (Thai or western).

    • Thanks 1
  4. I agree with the other posters about staying in a Wat for 3 months. There must be some in Chiang Mai that cater for westerners with reasonable accommodation etc. I say this becasue all Thais assimilate Thai Buddhism and precepts as they grow up. Understanding and experiencing this thinking helps understand Thai culture and behaviours.

     

    Having said this, a westerner can never fully assimilate into Thai culture. Thainess is like a cult and you have to be born into it. The downside is once you join the cult you can never leave.

     

     

  5. As said in the movie 'There's Something About Mary', you must masturbate before you go anywhere you might encounter attractive girls. Not doing so is like going out with a loaded gun. You will get sidetracked, into trouble, fall into lust and waste your money. Empty that gun as many times as necessary and enjoy a relaxing time with your mates, and save money too.

    • Haha 2
  6. On 2/28/2024 at 11:31 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

    If Thais complain about loud music, now then it must be LOUD.

     

    Maybe convince them that they are not the only people who can do that. Maybe at 6am or whenever they sleep.

     

     

     

     

    Thais will always complain about loud WESTERN Music. 

    • Haha 1
    • Agree 1
  7. 4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

    The terribly dangerous aspect of all this sense of victimhood, safe places and a lot of this other woke and PC nonsense is that it's fostering a spectacularly weak generation of people who are not prepared for any of the problems that life will throw their way. Any of the challenges they might face in the coming years or something catastrophic like war and famine, and they would just crumble. The slightest issues, problems or catastrophe might be too much for this overly coddled group to handle.

     

    Gen Z could be the weakest generation in the history of mankind. We are most definitely moving backwards as a civilization. Social media combined with the lost art of parenting are primarily to blame. 

     

    I agree. If World 111 threatens to break out, the wokists would all be for appeasement despite the lessons of previous wars.

    • Thumbs Up 1
    • Agree 1
  8. Thailand won't be attacked in the event of a world war. However, it will be dominated by China and may become increasingly subservient. Sooner or late China will come after any foreigners living in Thailand, particularly those nationalities seen as enemies. China would expect Thai authorities to round up such individuals and hand them over for 'safe keeping'. Thailand will oblige and may even 'nationalise' any assets for the benefit of the nation (read those in charge).

    • Thanks 1
  9. The other thing is that taking more does not necessarily have an 'add on' effect (e.g if 100 mg does not work, then the chances are that 200 mg will not work.

     

    I suspect most 'overdoses' are people trying to take the pills too frequently(e.g. once every 6 hours over a few days).

  10. Most of the cheap ones for sale everywhere have lead-acid batteries which probably have a life span of less than 2 years, on average. Typical top speed would be up to 25 km/hr witha range of 10 km (when new).

     

    Expect to pay at least 20,000 Baht for one with a decent Li-Po battery and life span.

    • Like 1
    • Confused 2
  11. 4 hours ago, Lopburikid said:

    He was moved to an inactive post some years ago because he and other members of his force were extorting money from gambling joints and Go-Go bars. They believe that is the reason his car was shot up while he was inside an illegal establishment.

    Ha Ha. He was moved because he was threatening to embarass his superior in the immigration biometrics rort (remember the BMW 'smart cars'). His car was shot up as a warning to keep his mouth shut. 

  12. I think the Baht has been 'talked up' by the central bank and previous government. They see a strong Baht as a mark of good economic management and still have bad memories of the 1997 crisis.

     

    Sure, the US dollar is strengthening and will continue to do so against most currencies. I deal with the Australian dollar which seems to move in tandem with the Thai Baht against the US dollar.

     

    The Baht has continued to maintain its value despite poor liquidity and economic fundamentals. The current government is calling for a drop in interest rates which would put pressure on the Baht. I think the Baht is probably over-valued by 10-15%. Such a 'real' drop (e'g. not just an 'apparent' drop against a rising US dollar) would make Thai exports competitive.

    • Like 1
  13. Regrettably, Thailand does not seem to have an effective or universal  'buy back' scheme (eg excess solar power feeds into the grid rolling your meter back). I guess electricity companies don't like it because they can't make any money. Distribution companies hate it because they get no return. And governments are happy to go along becasue they are always ripping dividends out of these public companies and want a return on investment.

     

    Setting aside household use, if you are in the fortunate position to be able to feed your excess solar into an EV (e.g. you don't use the EV much during peak daylight hours) then solar is looking attractive. Even more so given many current EVs can feed their battery back into the house in an emergency.

     

    Without an EV, and assuming the electric authority will not buy excess power off you, then you really need a decent battery for solar to start to make sense. Unfortunately, they are still too expensive for most of us.

    • Like 1
×
×
  • Create New...