PeterRS2

Can't be expensive if you paid for it 😉

I wonder if the Administrator could advise members when the upgrade will be complete. Three times this morning I have received the following message on screen - We're sorry, but a temporary technical error has occurred which means we cannot display this site right now. Too many connections You can try again by clicking the button below, or try again later.

Yet another one - but this time in Thailand. Two days ago at the Debsirin Nonthaburi School northwest of Bangkok a 14-year old took a gun belonging to his grandfather, allegedly shot both his grandparents and then took the handgun to school where he killed three teachers and two school officials before turning the gun on himself and committing suicide. Yesterday he claimed another victim when a 12-year old schoolgirl died. 14 remain in hospital of whom seven are in serious condition. Most of the wounded are children aged between 12 and 14. Within hours of Friday’s shooting rampage, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul pledged to introduce a new firearms control law in the country. Anutin, who previously tightened gun laws during his tenure as interior minister, said he would now propose a law to restrict the carrying of firearms by the public. “The new law will only allow government officials on duty to carry guns,” he told reporters, without giving any further details. Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan and far surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbours. Thailand is estimated to have 10.3 million guns in private ownership, 40% of which are not registered. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/8/families-retrieve-bodies-after-deadly-shooting-rampage-outside-bangkok The East Asia Forum website had a long article in December 2023 outlining why Thailand has so many guns in private ownership. It is believed that a large proportion of the guns in Thailand are from the so-called ‘gun welfare program’, which allows government officers, including retired police officers and state-owned enterprise staff, to buy personal guns at cheaper than the market rate. The Thai government initiated this program in 2009 and the latest round of ‘invitation to participate’ was circulated among ministries in April 2022. The official rationale of this program is to enable these officers ‘to perform one’s duty and to protect one’s own life and property’ . . . A significant portion of these illegal weapons are Thai-style homemade guns capable of firing .22 or .38 calibre bullets. This ‘local wisdom’ has been passed down through generations, predating the 1947 Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks, and the Equivalent of Firearms Act. The ubiquity of these homemade guns — even on online platforms — after nearly a century of gun control, underscores the sustained demand for firearms in Thailand . . . Thailand’s elevated gun ownership is likely rooted in the populace’s diminishing faith in law and order. Other factors such as toxic masculinity norms and high levels of tolerance for violence have also played significant roles. https://eastasiaforum.org/2023/12/13/thailands-growing-gun-problem/

As one who does from time to time introduce political, historical or cultural elements into posts, I partly agree, especially in this particular thread. If I recall correctly, back years ago moderators would find a way of pulling such elements into a new thread. On the other hand, with @jimmie50 being so wonderfully frank and open about his path with Cam and outlining future plans, I think it is inevitable that such discussions sometimes move into tangents that are bascially very relevant. Since 1950 very little has occurred in the Asian continent worse that the US decision to start illegal wars in Cambodia and Laos and play a trick based on a lie that persuaded Congress to agree to military action against North Vietnam. This period lasted approximately 20-23 years depending on how you interpret Truman's initial actions. It had a massive effect on Cambodia that still continues with the heavy involvement of China - and Cambodia is @jimmie50's new home, even though having made the decision there was a lot of history he did not at the time appreciate.

I am only a lapsed Christian and so I take almost everything in the Old Testament with a large grain of salt. The best thing to come out of the David and Jonathan tale is in my view Handel's wonderful masterpiece - his oratorio Saul first peformed in London in 1739. It is surely Handel's most striking setting of any Biblical drama. Many will actually know part of it as the "Dead March" is played at the funerals of many major figures worldwide. In the oratorio it is played following the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. There is also a poignant final lament "O fatal day" by David when he grieves for the loss of Jonathan. The recording below was made back in the 1970s with the superb Australian conductor Sir Charles Mackerras along with the English countertenor James Bowman. It remains one of the finest, even though more modern versions generally use a smaller orchestra and chorus. Endowed with a rich countertenor voice and appearing at a time when countertenors were only beginning to come into fashion in opera and concerts, Bowman helped establish the voice, especially in the early music repertoire. Ironically, though, Handel wrote the part of David for a female mezzo-soprano voice. Bowman made almost 200 commercial recordings.

It's been almost 33 years since the actor River Phoenix died from an overdose of several drugs. He was just 23 but one of the leading young actors of his generation. His coming of age drama movie Stand By Me directed by the late Rob Reiner is being re-released to mark its 40th anniversary. Most may recall My Private idaho where he plays a gay street hustler for which he received several accolades. For one so relatively young, I had no idea he was in 16 mostly major movies. These are discussed in an article in Thursday's Guardian newspaper. Three decades ago, queer parts for straight-identifying actors were still thought of largely as awards bids (see William Hurt’s transparently covetous performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman) or career-killers (even at the end of the 1990s, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio all turned down Brokeback Mountain). In that context, the boldness of Phoenix and Keanu Reeves in unselfconsciously playing sex workers in My Own Private Idaho, a kind of Midnight Cowboy cross-pollinated with Shakespeare’s Henry plays, should not be underestimated. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/06/james-dean-has-got-nothing-on-that-kid-river-phoenix-films-ranked

Not my balcony? 😵

The balancing selection threory, the older brother theory and others clearly do not to work in those countries where the number of children per couple has been falling for years and is still falling - Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and many others. No matter what these governments do - dating nights, cash incentives for more children etc. has worked AFIK. The vdo also does not consider straight, married men who become homosexual later in life - and there are several who have confirmed this on this Board. It also does not look at men who have been very gay up to their 60s who then "turn" straight, as has a friend of mine whom I got to know in Hong Kong and now lived in New York for over 10 years with his wife. As the OP vdo ends, it stresses the diversity of humans are features in the human story - as we are well aware from corrrespondents on this Board 🤪 . Interesting that being gay are one of humanities "oldest traits".

Very true!

https://airinsight.com/lufthansa-joins-emirates-in-rejecting-early-build-777-9s/

I am glad you are there to correct errors and add additional points not in the newspaper articles from which I quoted and which are included in my post. Thank you.

The amount was to be Bt. 300 per incoming passenger whether they were tourists or residents. If I remember correctly the plan was it be added to the airline ticket cost. But then residents and the airlines complained. The usual Thai stalemate resulted.

Since those crashes, even though millions have flown safely on the 737 Max jets, I vowed I would never fly on one. After all the inspections and re-certifications it may well be now the safest plane in the air. Or not. Hours ago the FAA issued an airworthiness directive ordering the inspection of 451 US-registered 737 jets for cracks in the body of the plane. Worryingy, the directive covers not only both versions of the 737 Max but also the older 737-800 model. Cracks were found on some planes in a structural reinforcement around the forward service door on the right side of the airplane, next to the front galley, the FAA said. But this is not the first time Boeing has been faced with structural cracking in the 737s. In 2019 another airworthiness directive was issued after some planes were found to have cracks in the component connecting the plane's fuselage to the wings. Yet, other aircraft have also been subject to checks for cracks, notably in the wings of the popular A380. I'll happily fly the A380 any day as it is a great aircraft. But I'll still never fly a 737 Max. And although I'll be on a 787 to Europe next month, I still have some concerns about the quality control issues on that aircraft. But it's not on my "no fly" list. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/06/us/faa-737-max-cracks And then what is still going wrong with Boeing's newest aircraft, the 777X? This was due to enter service in 2020 as a twin-engine replacement for the ageing 777 fleet but with a greater capacity. It has flown quite a few times during testing, but something wrong always seems to be found. Due to this huge delay, two of the first customers Lufthansa and Emirates have already declined to accept some of the first models due to enter service in mid-2027. Emirates has rejected 10 of its first 11 orders because they were actually built in 2019 and so many changes have been made since then. As to what should Boeing do with them? At the Farnborough Air Show last month Sir Tim Clark the Chairman of Emirates, one of the most respected airline Chairmen, jokingly suggested they could be used to make Heinz Baked Beans cans. Although Boeing has said the plane will finally be ready to enter service in mid-2027, Clark said months ago it is unlikely to be in the air with passengers before 2028. Yet Emirates remains the carrier with the largest 777X order book - 270. Total orders to date are 561 for the two passenger versions and 85 for the freighter version. So what Sir Tim Clark says about the plane is doubly important. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airlines-lessors/emirates-rejects-early-build-boeing-777xs

Pure profit motive! There has been talk about there being just one travel card in Bangkok covering all modes of public transport (apart I believe from regular buses - only the special route ones). The Skytrain refuses to introduce a new seniors ticket. So the only way a paying merger can take place is if the MRT falls into line!

I think the MRT obviously owes you quite a few evenings with young men of your choice - at their expense, of course. 😵

I never heard of a Tibetan sky burial. The only open air one I know is that of the Zoroastrians. Since that religion was founded in Persia, it used to be quite common. But now it is banned and those who wish their loved ones' bodies to be eaten by the vultures and buzzards have to send the bodies to Mumbai. I'm sure you'll remember from your trip that outside the city of Yazd there are what are termed the Towers of Silence where bodies used to be placed. This is one.

Profit motive, dear - so they can make double what they used to charge you and me and thousands of others!

It's unique!

I reckon a number of events could qualify for the title of this thread. Was it Bob Geldoff's Live Aid etimated to have been seen on TV by 1.5 billion viewers? Was it the relase of Michael Jackson's Thriller album which is said to be the best selling album of all time with 70 million sales. Many consider the subject of a new documentary movie now on sale revealing the background and events of April 1985 as the 'greatest' - the tour of WHAM to China. Titled WHAM – 10 Days in China the film charts the astonishing concept with one of the greatest pop groups in the world making a tour to a communist China still mired in the dying embers of the Cultural Revolution. No western pop stars had ever before toured to China. China had never experienced western pop music. The only non-local Chinese who performed were mostly occasional Cantonese pop stars from Hong Kong. How the reticent Chinese authorities permitted such a tour and the near daily disasters portrayed in the movie illustrate just what an iconic event it was. The pair's catchy tunes and energetic performances wowed audiences and helped bridge a gap between a huge nation and western pop. The acclaimed movie director Lindsay Anderson was hired to make the movie. He recruited a 30 strong production team. When the first cut of the movie was shown to George and Andrew six months later, they hated it. He was immediately dismissed. The new movie has been assembled from the masses of footage Anderson shot, much of it never seen before. This has the approval of the George Michael estate. Ironically the China gig was principally a "wheeze" thought up by agent and producer Simon Napier Bell with its object being to get WHAM better known in the USA. He knew that Elton John had started to get much higher sales in the USA after his 1979 concerts in Russia. Long article in today's Guardian newspaper. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/04/george-michael-lindsay-anderson-wham-movie-china-producer

Good point, but I note that the company you listed only provides cover up to age 69. I suspect quite a few of us are over 69 - some considerably so. Then coverage can become really difficult to find. I know that SAGA tours in the UK do offer coverage even without booking a tour, but you have to be a UK resident with a UK residential address. I get my insurance through my bank's credit card.

This presumably why there are many Go Fund Me pages opened after usually young guys are hospitalised in Thailand after very serious motorbike accidents.

😇

How strange! When I looked at the previous post, the clip was from the Golden Globe ceremony when she won for Mary Poppins. Suddenly just now (09:55 Bangkok) it changed to Victor Victoria which I had posted below (but then took out) and then changed back again to The Golden Globe ceremony. (So I have reinserted the Victor Victoria trailer.) Never seen that in this Board before! In later life she always thanked Jack Warner for not casting her in My Fair Lady as that really opened a new door to a different career first as Mary Poppins. She is certainly a great actor. I don't know why but I have always found her a bit too saccharine. The only movie I have really loved was Victor Victoria. I have the DVD and play it sometimes for young Thai friends who also seem to love it. And that is not because of the gay element, more the comedy. I always admired Robert Preston and thought he could never be bettered than in The Music Man. But I consider his role in Victor Victoria his best.

He is an idiot! Thankfully I have never once had to claim for any medical issues on policies covering decades of travel but I have had two claims for missed flight conections. As the airlines provided the paperwork (which took some time on my part), both claims were paid in full. It's always seems to be the unexpected that catches out those without insurance. A heart attack, serious stroke, motorbike accident whatever. As @Blah reported, the unexpected could wipe out finances.

Sorry to say the elder discount card on the MRT is now dead!