anddy

I encountered the same issue yesterday, seems something is wring that @Michael will have to fix

Not sure how this relates to the engine, or rather blade failure in the most recent incident. That (hollow) blade has nothing to do with combustion, as it was from the large fan at the front of the engine, as can be seen in the image. According to the BBC article it was simply "metal fatigue"

actually not odd at all. I take it from your other post that you are renting, not owning the place. The parking rights come with the condo ownership, so if anybody, the owner would need to approve the use of the parking right, not you being only the tenant. So maybe the owner actually did approve it without you even realizing, or the juristic person just issued it because it's only for a motorcycle, which is not a big deal. I tend to think the latter happened.

well done, even if it probably would never have caused any issues because in my experience in real life in a condo nobody cares about such clauses, this is a case of "better safe than sorry", and at not cost. What I'm curious about in this case is, is the contract in English only or bilingual Thai and English? If the latter, than usually the Thai version will prevail and it would be worthwhile to see what the Thai clause actually says. By the same token, if it's a bilingual contract, adding those words only in the English text will have zero legal effect, rendering your successful effort futile.

Oh I didn't dispute that it can be done as a 15 year extension to an existing 5 year one for the 50k payment you mentioned. All I was saying it that in additon to that extension it can also be purchased as a 20 year from the outset for 1mln (as opposed to the 2 mln price tag you mentioned in the original post). Guess I may not have been fully clear on this, hence the misunderstanding

This is not correct. While there is a 20r/2mln one called "Elite Ultimate Privilege" with lots of extra goodies, you can also purchase a no-frills 20yr/1mln one called "Elite Superiority Extension". While the "Extension" part of the name suggests it can only be obtained as an extension from an existing membership, that is not the case. It can be bought straight away. It is also important not to call this a "20 year visa", there is no such thing. The Elite visa is always, always only 5 years. The Elite membership ranges from 5 to 20 years, and the membership plans longer than 5 years entitle you to get the appropriate number of 5 year visas sequentially.

not that I know of...

vinapu's and z909's answers are correct I'd say. Also, there is no such thing as "official" sex massage parlors. What that refers to is the entirely str8 business type of "aab ob nuad" (อาบอบนวด) meaning "bathe 'bake' massage" ("bake" being sauna) which is a well defined type of massage parlor where an "attendant" helps with the whole process of bathing, baking and eventually massaging the client. Hence, technically a perfectly legal massage business. Thus, no prostitution exists there (in the same way as in Walking Street in Pattaya, which is the local police have regularly confirmed through on-site inspections). Though what the REAL business is everyone knows, hence the label "sex massage parlor" even in the press.

another idea or hope being floated, but to the best of my knowledge this hasn't even been considered, let alone approved, by the cabinet. So it's basically just hot air (again, as so many "plans" they had). WIthout evidence of vaccinations preventing or limiting transmission I don't see this coming anytime soon, unfortunately. I'd be one of the first to benefit from it, but I don't bank on it at all.

funny you should post this, I JUST read this article about it in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/29/trump-russia-asset-claims-former-kgb-spy-new-book True or not I don't know, but sounds entirely plausible to me. Especially the vain & stupid, easily manipulable Trump with is microscopic ego

it was probably much more obvious in the real life scene rather than a photograph, too

you must have missed z909's post near the bottom of the previous page.... You cannot possibly NOT see it in that post

Bars/pubs/clubs remain closed in Bangkok. Telephone has operated as a restaurant in the previous, much more severe lockdown in April/May (as have other establishments in the soi) as well as initially under the current restrictions (bars closed, restaurants open but only until 9pm). They did that for a day or two and found it not to be worth their while and closed. So reopening with the relaxed hours makes some sense.

The plot has been fully cleared, has the usual high steel construction fencing around it and a sign proclaiming that it will be another luxury condo of the Ashton brand. No construction has started yet.

I'd call it an empirical study, very scientific approach Been meaning to post about it for a long time now, but either forgot or didn't know where a suitable place/thread would be. Here is not perfect either, but what the heck lol. One not-so-sad observation I made a few months ago in Silom was that Hooters on the corner of Silom and Thaniya has closed down. Presumably a victim of the covid-induced lack of tourists. Good riddance I'd say! Otherwise, many many changes happen around the general area. Many places closed, many "for rent/sale" signs, some places being renovated to make room for something else, buildings being torn down and new construction sites emerging.

well as I'm sure you are well aware, absence of evidence in and of itself doesn't mean anything. If nobody looked for evidence (by running a study), there will be no evidence. And indeed there is anecdotal evidence that drinking and partying DO have the potential to spread the virus. One potential super spreader even currently makes headlines, where a birthday party by a semi-celebrity (DJ Matoom) led to at least 28 infections (more being investigated). So that's evidence that partying is risky. Of course bars are not all the same, and in a gogo bar there will be close to zero interaction between patrons, whereas in a place like Soi 2 or Fake Club there will be plenty. Where do you draw the line and distinction as a government? You can't, really, so you do a blanket closure. While I, too, find it an inconvenience, I can relate to the rationale.

That's on the corner of Silom, in the former Thai Airways office and operated by Thai to generate at least some modest income. There may be few customers later in the day and indeed I believe they close at something like 2pm. However, they sell some very popular pastries in the morning - starting from I think 6am !! - which at least in the beginning led to massive queues.

Interesting, and indeed not very unusual in Thailand (see below). Though I have to say that was next to impossible to spot from the photos, given poor resolution and overexposure in the relevant area. I have seen an airplane fuselage somewhere in Isaan last July, when I drove from BKK o Sisaket and back. I can't remember where it was, but if I remember correctly there was a sign saying they were developing the plane into something, I think a restaurant. Also, there is the (new-ish?) 747 Cafe right here outside Bangkok, just a couple of kilometers from Suvarnabhumi: https://goo.gl/maps/c2zcQq99Vpr44M3e6 And then there is the Airplane Graveyeard smack in the city of Bangkok, on Ramkhamhaeng Road: https://goo.gl/maps/Xgt363GHejU9o1ec9

I had no idea! Thanks for clarifying that

are you sure? lol Because in the background the Siam@Siam can be seen, whcih is a hotel in Bangkok near Siam Square and MBK. That's why I said it was taken in Bangkok

- it's in Bangkok, but we thought you're in Pattaya? - it's in Bangkok but the motorcycle is not registered in Bangkok? (ok that's not unusual at all)

While we are at it having fun with US politicians, here is a video that dailymail page threw up: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/2339246.html (I tried to directly embed it here in the post, so you didn't have to click a link, but I failed. Maybe @Michael can do that?)

Given the minimal cost of AstraZeneca and Sinovac that looks like a hefty profit margin. Though undoubtedly it will include the usual 100-300 hospital fee each visit incurs (basically for taking your temperature and blood pressure) and a doctor's fee of 800-1000. So "only" 2000 left for the actual vaccine, still a great margin. Having said that, as a foreigner we can't expect to get this on the cheap, and to me it really makes no difference if I pay the equivalent of 50 or 100 or even 200 Euros as along as I can get it reasonably fast.