alvnv

Nice try!…
Bali is complaining about misbehaving “ethnic Russians” there - they better watch out… Oh, wait - based on your logic, Russia won’t dare anything because of Indonesia’s “global advantage in manpower”, however Thailand better watch out - they may lose a part of Phuket because without “global advantage in manpower”, “ethnic Russians” there may want to return to the bosom of Mother Russia, along with a part of land from another sovereign state, just as Russia is used to doing for centuries… Sorry - I’m wrong again - those “ethnic Russians” fled the shit-hole Vovka Durak turn the country into…
I wonder, the end of whose regime is unavoidable?! 🤔

Global advantage?! Did you mean significant, or overwhelming? Globally, Russia is in the 9th place behind Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, and Bangladesh; not to mention top 3: India, China and the USA. I won’t be surprised if by the end of 2024 it ends up somewhere between Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo.
I’m glad that you finally acknowledged that Russia, as the original attacker, had suffered 5-10 time the losses of the defender - the Ukraine.

Who's Rudy?  Barely knew him...

 
 
 
 
He'll appeal:

 
 

There is no evidence Trump can read. 

Well, the confidence intervals in these studies were reported and combined:
"...Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference to the outcome of influenza‐like illness (ILI)/COVID‐19 like illness compared to not wearing masks (risk ratio (RR) 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84 to 1.09; 9 trials, 276,917 participants; moderate‐certainty evidence. Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference to the outcome of laboratory‐confirmed influenza/SARS‐CoV‐2 compared to not wearing masks (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.42; 6 trials, 13,919 participants; moderate‐certainty evidence)...".
So it is possible that wearing masks is slightly beneficial--or slightly harmful. If so, however, any effect is almost certainly quite small. I'm sure that most ER physicians try to follow their hospitals' guidelines when intubating patients when practical (more likely done by paramedics prior to arrival). Covid patients don't require intubation these days, so hopefully any healthcare professional would assume something else is going on. Regardless, what an ER physician might or might not do in any given situation is obviously not evidence of anything, and certainly does not invalidate scientific investigation. To suggest otherwise is silly at best--perhaps rather childish. 
Of course, there will always be those who feel that their personal beliefs or intuition can invalidate scientific study. One of my cousins in Europe is a bit nutty and has been a lifelong anti-vaxxer. She was even able to convince an unscrupulous pediatrician to falsify her daughter's records to indicate that the daughter was vaccinated. That (wiser) daughter not only got all of her vaccines when she turned 18, but also became a physician. In the late Spring of 2021, the daughter got a call from her mother's hospital requesting permission to take her (unvaccinated) mother off of life support following a battle with the virus, believing further care was futile. The daughter requested they keep her on life support until she was able to come in and say her goodbyes. During that delay, the mother came to, and was eventually able to be weaned off the ventilator, although her lungs are permanently damaged, and she's hooked up to oxygen for the rest of her life.
It may come as little surprise to many that this cousin is still clinging to her anti-vax beliefs, despite overwhelming evidence of the stupidity of that belief staring at her in the face. Likewise, there will always be those who believe masks will protect them, irrespective of the number of studies done and the accumulation of evidence. Many people simply lack the ability to re-evaluate their beliefs in the face of new evidence. Quite a few people, in fact: it's amazing to witness all of the people who believe Trump is merely being persecuted despite almost countless indictments from various courtrooms around the US. 

Happy Saturnalia!

until next pandemic when we will start it in panic all over again as  decision makers will be coving to prevailing public mood , not scientific findings. 

Meanwhile, hospitals were getting killed (pardon my poor choice of words): back-to-back shifts, no days off, lack of PPE, especially in the early days. I cannot fathom how anybody could justify the handling of Covid-19 by that orange asshole, starting from the Fall of 2019.
 
Hand hygiene continues to be the best prevention to limit nosocomial infections

Meanwhile, hospitals were getting killed (pardon my poor choice of words): back-to-back shifts, no days off, lack of PPE, especially in the early days. I cannot fathom how anybody could justify the handling of Covid-19 by that orange asshole, starting from the Fall of 2019.
 
Hand hygiene continues to be the best prevention to limit nosocomial infections

Meanwhile, hospitals were getting killed (pardon my poor choice of words): back-to-back shifts, no days off, lack of PPE, especially in the early days. I cannot fathom how anybody could justify the handling of Covid-19 by that orange asshole, starting from the Fall of 2019.
 
Hand hygiene continues to be the best prevention to limit nosocomial infections

From Pattaya News
Over 100 foreign tourists in Pattaya were allegedly scammed by a visa agent who promised to handle their passport extensions. However, the agent reportedly kept the passports far past agreed upon dates, without processing the extensions, leading to some of the tourists overstaying their stays in Thailand and keeping money paid by the tourists.
The incident came to light on December 19th, 2023, when a group of 30 tourists, accompanied by their representative Ms. Chanidapa Thosakul (36), brought Ms. Supawadee, whose last name was withheld pending an ongoing investigation, (33) under custody to the Pattaya Police Station.
Ms. Chanidapa revealed that the 30 tourists were allegedly lured by Ms. Supawadee’s promise to deal with their passport extensions with Royal Thai Immigration. The tourists paid around 32,000 baht each for Ms. Supawadee’s services. However, the tourists alleged that Ms. Supawadee took their passports and never returned the documents, nor processed their extensions, which were for a variety of reasons but mostly education visas.
The situation worsened when it emerged that over 100 tourists from more than 10 countries were reportedly impacted, some allegedly having their passports confiscated by Ms. Supawadee far beyond their authorized stay of 30-90 days in Thailand. This forced several tourists to face legal action and potential deportation, Ms. Chanidapa said.
Determined to reclaim their passports and hold the suspect accountable, the affected individuals led by Ms. Chanidapa confronted Ms. Supawadee to negotiate the return of their documents.
They later alerted the Pattaya police to come and arrest the suspect, leading to the discovery that Ms. Supawadee allegedly held over 40 passports of the foreign tourists and had allegedly planned to discard them. Fortunately, through further negotiations, a number of passports were returned to the tourists.
Despite the accusations, the suspect, Ms. Supawadee, has denied any wrongdoing and says she is entirely innocent and was working on resolving the tourist’s passport issues. However, Pattaya police remain skeptical and are actively gathering evidence to pursue legal action against the agent.
Pattaya police and Chonburi Immigration are working with the tourists affected by the agent and now on overstay to reach a positive resolution for the tourists without them facing legal action or deportation.

Even in most disagreements, a humorous side can be found. 🙂

I realise this is only for accidents but if the cost is 200million baht per year and there are 30 million tourists per year that means the cost should be 6.6 baht per person.
If it was extended to cover general illness which required hospitalisation then there would be an increase. Clearly wouldn’t be a lot.
It would be interesting to know how many tourists actually end up in hospital and what the total cost is. Then divide it by the expected 30-40 million tourists per year. The actual figure per person would probably be very small.
So why not add a minor addition to the airfares BUT make it quite clear that it covers hospitalisation costs. Doubt many would complain.

From Thai PBS World
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has ordered the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to arrange travel insurance to cover accidents and death for all foreign tourists arriving in Thailand during the New Year holiday period.
The prime minister’s order, issued at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, follows two incidents involving foreign tourists who died recently in Thailand. One incident concerned a Taiwanese tourist who was denied emergency treatment at a private hospital in the Pattanakarn area and died on his way to a second hospital about 10km away. The second case involved an Irish tourist who had been treated in the intensive care unit of a private hospital for dengue fever, but the hospital bill reached about 100,000 baht a day, forcing the patient’s family in Ireland to raise funds to get him back home for treatment.
It is reported that the Ministry of Tourism and Sports will seek about 50 million baht from the Central Fund to buy insurance coverage for tourists visiting Thailand over the New Year period.
The prime minister also instructed Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol to coordinate with Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam to promote regional tourism.
One of the regional tourism routes, which was proposed by Vietnam, is the world heritage route encompassing Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Luang Prabang in Laos and Thailand’s Udon Thani province.
================
From Pattaya Mail
Yet another plan to cover tourists with medical insurance breaks the ice
By Barry Kenyon
Worried about negative international publicity, Thailand’s tourism and sports ministry is dusting off plans to insure overseas tourists with 500,000 baht (US$14,000) per person for injuries and double that amount in the event of death from an accident. Prime minister Srettha Thavisin said recent bad publicity arose from cases such as the mass shooting by a troubled youth at Siam Paragon mall and the death of a Taiwanese holidaymaker who was denied emergency care at a private hospital following a road accident.
Policies to cover medically many millions of tourists every year have flummoxed military and civilian administrations over the years. In 2002 Thaksin Shinawatra’s administration toyed with turnstiles at airports and land frontiers to collect a 50 baht insurance fee from all non-Thai visitors, but was discarded for fears of chaos and winding queues at entry points. In 2018 the notion of a 150-300 baht entry fee for foreign tourists by land, sea or air (but not for Thais) was first publicized and promised as late as September 2023. But it has now been dropped amid opposition from airlines, border police and others fearing public confusion and yet more bad publicity.
Few details are yet available, but the latest plan is far from comprehensive. Only short-term tourists will be covered and holders of non-immigrant visas or 5-20 year visa options will almost surely be excluded. Tourists, yet to be strictly defined, will be covered specifically for injuries and deaths from accidents and not for general health issues. An earlier version had suggested the inclusion of diarrhea as a legitimate claim, but is not currently mentioned. The Office of the Insurance Commission is suggesting the cost annually would be around 200 million baht, or more depending on the crucial detail. The debt could be paid by the central budget, or offset by yet another disguised tax such as a supplement on the tickets all international passengers arriving in Thailand.
International insurers say it’s too early to judge the latest government initiative. Geoffrey Collard, spokesman for Worldwide Travel, said, “Who exactly is covered and why precisely they are seeking admission to hospital will lead to admission issues unless the detail is fully spelled out. 500,000 baht for treatment from accidents looks generous, but costs in private sector intensive care units can be 100,000 baht or around US$3,000 per day.” Meanwhile, the Thai Hotels Association president, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, said the idea was a good one, to increase the confidence of all tourists travelling to Thailand.
======================
From The Thaiger
Explosive growth in Thai insurance industry predicted for 2024
The Thai General Insurance Association (TGIA) has foreseen an unprecedented surge in the insurance industry, with premiums expected to skyrocket to 303 billion baht in 2024.
The TGIA president, Somporn Suebthawilkul, revealed the industry’s trajectory, unveiling that premiums for the initial nine months of this year already hit a whopping 210 billion baht, marking a staggering 5.2% rise from the same period last year. The projections for the full year anticipate a robust 4 to 5% growth, amassing a colossal 285 billion baht in premiums.
But what’s the secret sauce behind this financial boom? Somporn predicts a dual force: the soaring popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) and the flourishing health insurance sector. With EV sales predicted to hit a monumental 100,000 units this year, it’s clear that the future is electric – and so is the insurance industry.
Somporn teased the anticipation of an even more lucrative 2024, riding on the back of sustained growth in the health and EV sectors. Travel insurance is also set to cash in on the continued rebound in tourism, making your next adventure not just thrilling but also well-insured.
“The industry improved this year as expected because of the economic recovery and smooth government transition, increased EV sales, and a rebound in both domestic and international tourism.
“All these factors have a positive impact on the industry, with good growth trends for various types of insurance.”
For petrolheads and road warriors, the revelation that motor insurance premiums surged to 118 billion baht in the first nine months of this year, a 6% year-on-year increase, is music to the ears. Car insurance policies are on the rise, and so are the average premiums per policy.
Fire insurance, with premiums rising by 2.1% to 7.76 billion baht, is blazing its own trail. Meanwhile, marine and shipping insurance faced a slight dip, down 0.6% to 5.33 billion baht due to slowing exports, reported Bangkok Post.

From The Thaiger
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has issued a public warning about the potential rise in crime related to advanced deepfake AI technology. This technology, capable of swapping faces and mimicking voices, is feared to be the next tool for scammers in the coming year.
The warning stemmed from the national police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol’s concerns, which were communicated to the public by Pol Maj Gen Siriwat Deephor, a deputy spokesman for the RTP, yesterday. The key concern is the misuse of increasingly advanced AI technology, particularly deepfake AI, by criminals looking to deceive unsuspecting victims. Deepfake technology can fabricate videos or voice clips of well-known public figures, making it difficult for viewers to distinguish between what’s real and what’s not.
Pol Maj Gen Siriwat said “The same AI technology might sometimes be used to generate fake pornographic video clips to blackmail someone. Using AI to generate fake news intending to stir up public misunderstanding is also an increasingly worrying possibility in 2024.”
To avoid becoming victims of such high-tech scams, the public is advised to exercise caution when encountering online content or information. Pol Gen Torsak urged people not to rush to believe everything they see or hear online and to refrain from executing any financial transactions until the authenticity of the other party can be confirmed.
Looking back at this year, more than 150,000 police complaints were lodged regarding online crime, particularly concerning buying and selling goods or services. Online investments, however, caused the most substantial financial damage, leading to losses exceeding 16 billion baht. Other prevalent online crimes included fraudulent money transfers, loan application scams, and telephonic threats.
In related news, The Royal Thai Police (RTP) have joined forces with public health agencies, signing a game-changing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to address the escalating issue of individuals with psychological disorders. The initiative aims not only to curb the growing number of attacks but also to ensure those affected receive the vital medical treatment they urgently require.

From Coconuts Bangkok
What do Bangkokians want? Well, this survey might answer that question, and it’s certainly going to be food for thought for Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt.
The survey, which was carried out by the Traffy Fondue complaints platform, featured 337,208 respondents. It showed that road-related problems were of the highest concern, chosen by  more than half of respondents (52.8 percent)
Following that were all the usual suspects, namely flooding (10.94 percent), zebra crossing safety (9.10 percent), PM2.5 and toxic pollutants in the air (8.59 percent), working CCTV cameras that cover wider visibility (5.60 percent), lack of green spaces (5.50 percent), high cost of living (4.28 percent), traffic jams (1.97 percent), polluted water (0.62 percent), and street vendors blocking footpaths and sidewalks (0.60 percent).
These numbers may reflect the city’s unpreparedness to accommodate the daily lives of its residents. 
Chadchart, who assumed the gubernatorial role in May 2022, is quite popular in the city. In a May survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), Bangkokians said they were largely happy with the 57-year-old’s performance, citing his hard work and dedication to the job.

Global advantage?! Did you mean significant, or overwhelming? Globally, Russia is in the 9th place behind Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, and Bangladesh; not to mention top 3: India, China and the USA. I won’t be surprised if by the end of 2024 it ends up somewhere between Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo.
I’m glad that you finally acknowledged that Russia, as the original attacker, had suffered 5-10 time the losses of the defender - the Ukraine.

Even if he read Hitler speeches would he remember what he read?

 Or is someone reminding him how to pander to his base?


 
That said, Trump has never been shy about his Jewish friends.
 

 
In the end, Trump is twice the age of Hitler.   I don't mean to sound ageist, and bless his heart, but TFG doesn't pull off his Nazi routine well.  He sounds less like a screaming der Führer and more like a big balloon wheezing out through its unfastened flap.
 

The way Vovka Durak (Vovka the Fool) is handling his “special military operation” it may end up till the last Russian [soldier]

I do. 
This is a cynical view of the situation: since peace negotiations with Russia are prohibited by Ukrainian law, war remains the only option.
Since Russia has a global advantage in manpower, and taking into account the fact that the attackers suffer 5-10 times more losses than the defenders, the most correct strategy is to stand still in the fortifications and grind the attackers’ manpower.
Zelenskiy will do rest. He doesn't care about own citizens. Yesterday he announced additional 500,000 mobilization.
“There are no positions. There is no such thing as an observation post or position,” said Oleksiy. “It is impossible to gain a foothold there. It’s impossible to move equipment there.”
“It’s not even a fight for survival,” he added. “It’s a suicide mission.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/16/world/europe/ukraine-kherson-river-russia.html
Russia declares its readiness for peace talks almost every week. But these should be negotiations from realistic positions, and not unrealistically arrogant “You must withdraw your troops and pay us reparations.” 

I doubt that's the case in the US. One has to have a valid visa to legally live in the US. Asylum is definitely one of those mechanisms, and does allow the asylee to eventually obtain US citizenship. Being the son of a US citizen would be another way, of course. Even His Royal Highness Prince Harry is only allowed permanent residency in the US because he's married to a US citizen. The prince may be allowed to live in any of his father's realms (I don't know what those rules are), but the US is certainly not one of Charles III's realms. I suspect Prince Harry won't take up US citizenship because in doing so, by law, he'd have to give up any title of nobility he holds. Apparently there is some sort of grandfather rule in the US as well, though in that case the grandchild must take the oath of allegiance before he turns 18:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenship_of_the_United_States#Naturalized_citizenship
Grandparent rule. Section 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (INA), added in 1994, enabled children of a United States citizen who did not become citizens at birth, to use the physical presence period in the United States of a grandparent who was a citizen to qualify for United States citizenship.[68] Under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, Section 322 was amended to extend also to children who generally reside outside the United States with a United States citizen parent, whether biological or adopted.[69] The child must be in the legal and physical custody of the United States citizen parent, the child and parent must be lawfully present in the United States for the interview, and the child must take the oath of allegiance before the age of 18 years (for those 14 years or older). The application (Form N-600K) may only be submitted by the United States citizen parent, or by the grandparent or legal guardian within 5 years of the parent's death

The way Vovka Durak (Vovka the Fool) is handling his “special military operation” it may end up till the last Russian [soldier]

I believe it was through a political asylum after his mom and siblings fled Thailand for the UK and his sister was abducted and brought back to Thailand. If you follow the links for children at his mom’s Wikipedia page you can piece together the story of their “exile”: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujarinee_Vivacharawongse