Vintage_Kwai

As the others have said, what you will get from 'influencers' is basically a tourist's video and blinkered view of the country. I'd advise watching Bangkok Pat's walk-arounds, he's been in Bangkok for years. I myself have been resident in the kingdom since 1988; worked here, married locally, brought up a family.. what you'll get from this motley crew are the more mundane things, like where to get medical care, decent accommodation, advice on sick buffaloes and a vague memory of those places we used to frequent. I personally am used to keeping a low profile (working here tends to make you do that) and make a 180 if I see some bloke or chick with any sort of recording device spouting off to the world about how amazing this place is. Will wait for Stickman to add his two baht worth; his website also holds a wealth of information if you're prepared to sift through.

I was unaware KS had passed. RIP. Only went to a couple of gatherings, up at that Aussie bar. I'm one of those in the shadows, resident in Thailand, now over 30 years, but largely a non-participant mainly (at the time) due to work schedules. I'm aware most of the remaining folk who do keep the board alive with the occasional post are away participants; that is, not resident in Thailand. I have met a couple of you, though that was probably a lifetime ago. It would be sad to see the demise of the board, as it seems to be one of the few places on the internet these days to be able to express a view and not get shot down, however life does go on, and we're not getting any younger. I'll sit back for now and see how this thread goes, would be a pity if the board does go down, there's a lot of history in the old posts that would be lost to time. Cheers, VK

KS, some of us have been here too long. I almost got caught out of curfew when Big Su (Suchinda) decided to bring the tanks out; fortunately the roads were empty and I got back home with minutes to spare. Note that comms were absolutely useless back in the day, but I was fortunate to be able to get permission for a 12' satellite dish (courtesy of my wife's position) so was able to watch the whole shebang unfold off the Indonesian satellite.

Nice one, Coss. Will peruse later, enjoyed the first 5 minutes. Didn't know you also could write Thai script..

☺️ Yes, travel is a hassle these days. Since my last visit to SG pre-covid, I've had two stent procedures and one cataract done. One waiting list for next one. As for relaxing, I have a collection of (semi-vintage) organs, most around the 30 year mark, to keep my mind on track. The neighbors also like to walk around in the evenings so I get a bit of exercise too. Though the wife prefers the treadmill. Just don't want to get flooded out again.. (2011 was bad, wife rebuilt after we raised the land). Hanging on here with nowhere to go and not really wanting to go anywhere anyway..

KS 2022 post basically sums it up for me. I can't think of a better place for me at the moment, and I've been here over 30 years. Time does fly. Singapore is just too expensive to go back to, I only visit because mum is still alive. Last time I was back I was quite peeved with the amount of Tagalog and mainland mandrin being spoken. The only thing I miss at times if the hawker food. Malaysia and Indonesia are definitely out, even though I speak the language. It's the bumiputras that put me off. Have not explored the Indochinese regions, don't think I ever will. Thailand is still affordable, we own the house, both kids have now finished uni so no major obligations. I have PR here so no major visa hassles. I'm also tired of traveling so am quite content to mosey on over to the 7-11 for a couple of beers to relax with. Still have to deal with some medical issues, but these are also affordable to treat here so am in no hurry to rock the boat. My two baht worth.

And how many will back up and hit you again to make sure you've popped your clogs because • they don't have a license • the vehicle has no number plates • a funeral is a one-time cost with no protracted payments spanning an extended period of time

Merry Christmas 🎄😁 Thai360

Used to go there from before it became an institution.. Favourite hangouts for me at the time was Club 392, a shop house at 392 Orchard Road, just a few doors down. Then there was Tropicana, just around the corner from Lido, Jockey's Pub afternoon jazz jam sessions, and the infamous 'Ang Teng' Red Lantern at Clifford Pier. Fun days.

I'm resident here, so any time is good as long as you can get enough people together.

Hey, Stickman, I remember your get-together at Nana, was actually hanging on to a strap on the Skytrain on the way there and later realised it was you just a few feet away on the same train. Also a few trips down to Bradmans (think it was called something different back then) met with KS, Coss and yourself. Another get together was organised by the now defunct Schoochers crowd; met up with the likes of Phet, Union Hill, Marc Holt - fun days. However, that was a long time ago, I don't go into town unless absolutely necessary and the flashing lights and chrome poles don't hold the same appeal any more. If you (KS, Stick?) do think of organising something I may just drag myself over just for the hell of it. Still mostly in Bangkok. Cheers! VK aka Sick Water Buffalo

I don't see any clown suits or big red noses?

Ooo. Good to hear, Stickman.

Bubi, I am Singaporean, and am, as yet, not vaccinated. Though waiting in the queue. I am appalled at my government's push for the mRNA vaccine from a particular country and any attempt to get a different vaccine, even if you pay for it, is rejected. Even to the point of you not being registered as vaccinated if you choose the other vaccine. I am not anti-vax, but would like a choice between mRNA and more traditional vaccination procedures. It is only recently that other vaccines are being recognized, but you have to pay our of your own pocket. Imo, the track record of mRNA vaccines is not particularly good and many of us who do have underlying health conditions would prefer the more traditional route. The push to force a particular vaccine on someone is also, in my opinion, unethical. And to deny them rights as a citizen to food and freedom of movement and work is even more so. My opinion, you are welcome to agree or disagree. No difference to me.

The QR code is basically a location tag. When I went to Fashion Island on Sunday, they used the LINE app to scan me in. When at HomePro you had to scan another QR code, so basically they have an idea where your phone has been at a certain point in time. Tried to log out later, worked at HomePro but not at the mall itself. Apparently it's just linked to some sort of survey which I didn't bother with. I suspect that if you don't have your phone with you, you just fill in a form with your phone number. Will probably try next time with an old dumb phone that doesn't have a camera but still works, just to throw a spanner in the works, so to speak..