xyzzy

TT was showing 31.63 when I looked in. I didn't change anymore US$ before I left. I always have that debate with myself. Today was the third largest point drop in the DOW and very close to the second. But the other two were a greater percentage than today. The DOW is still about 2000 points higher than it was one year ago. 1 2018-02-05 24,345.75 −1,175.21 −4.60 % 2 2018-02-08 23,860.46 −1,032.89 −4.15% 3 2020-02-24 27,960.80 -1,031.61 -3.56 %

On this board the option to EDIT or DELETE a post passes in a short period of time. I'm sure pdoggg can say what that amount of time might be (15 minutes?). I just got home yesterday. I was less worried about getting the Novel Coronavirus than maybe borders closing and getting stuck somewhere. Probably an overreaction but who knows. Think I'll skip taking a cruise this year.

Yes the regular cheap masks don't help much. A couple of weeks ago lots of Thais started wearing masks in Pattaya. But mask usage seems to be declining in recent days.

Since I am leaving soon I was considering buying a mask to wear at the airport (even though I probably wouldn't wear it) plus I have a patch of mold in my house that needs to be removed. But I was only going to buy a mask that had a high rating. You can buy masks that have a rating 95 (removes 95% of bad stuff), 97 and 100. The 100 is actually a HEPA filter that really does 99.7%. Masks with higher ratings have a small filter on the outside of the mask and you don't breathe through the mask material (I think). A pharmacy on Buakhao has some 95% masks for 70 baht. But I didn't buy one at first and now all the good ones seem to be gone at the pharmacies I checked. It was probably overkill anyway so I will be going commando.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/ZaZa+Massage/@12.9282439,100.8845635,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x310296097ca21a87:0x24c4ff36c8e4f093!8m2!3d12.9282439!4d100.8867522

Well at least you get the sexy part. They just call out 'papa' to me now. I'm 65 and it started about two years ago.

Wooly Bully was on the sound track of Full Metal Jacket as the Vietnam background reminded me.

How many were wearing mask (that are probably worthless)? I heard it was about 80 percent a few weeks ago at Swampy.

Hey it's all relative. If corona really gets loose all over the world it will be really bad. But most likely it won't. I saw a not so optimistic scientist the other day claiming 1/3 to 2/3 of everyone on the planet will get Corona. A anti China conservative US congressman claims China made this virus. There is so much BS out there believing any one (or two or...) source is probably a fools errand. After the world's big scare over swine flu, that didn't come true, most people think it's all alarmist. Corona is 20+ times more deadly than the regular flu strains and doesn't just kill the young and old. Hell who knows what will be true in the end and that is what makes it news worthy. Although regular news these days has become to much like sports news. They put anything in the news often having no real insight/facts.

I agree totally. Have never heard of the band or song posted by the OP although I am old enough. I looked up Fischer-Z and they had albums that charted in the UK, a few other EU countries and none where I live. I also have never heard a lot of Dukes songs. Although I recognize band names and song titles from songs I don't know so I guess that means they are at least somewhat famous. I don't care for about half the music they play in Scooters (which I haven't visited this trip in 3.5 months). But I suppose any of these will be better than the techno crap lots of places play unless they are "top 40 pop crap®". Sorry to be so picky but needless to say I'm not a big fan of "BIG" obscure playlists featuring others nostalgia. I think the Katty regular that has supplied the bar with a playlist has done a pretty good job. Flame suit on, fire away.

Some things never change:

Any word on how long the Chinese group tours will be stopped. I think the original order was two weeks but I don't see things getting a lot better.

If you wear a face mask someone will probably just grab it anyway.

In the last week I've seen a couple of times when K-Bank was showing .01 more than TT for the USD. The VISA card rate is still stuck at 30.68 currently.

Yes but since I get all my money from my US VISA debit card I have no choice but to use the card when I need money. I think I've used my card seven times this trip and three times I got a better rate than TT Exchange and three times a little worse. But the difference between 30.84 and 30.64 on 30220 baht is only about US$5 so it's not a really big deal. About the price of a LD. My last four ATM withdrawals of 30220 baht have been a few dollars over US$1000. At the current VISA rate it would be US$985.

TT is US$ 30.84 at the moment. The pound has a little cushion above 40. I suppose this is all about the Coronavirus. I expect the USD to be above 31 by the weekend. I probably just jinxed the whole thing by make a prediction. The VISA card rate is only US$ 30.68. So as often is the case when the currency is moving fairly fast in one direction the VISA rate, which only changes ever 24 hours, is lagging.

I leave in about five weeks via HKG. I almost switched to a flight via NRT that would leave late this week and just get the hell out. But I was undecided and waited. A few hours later the flight (frequently flier miles) was no longer available. I would guess most of the east Asia airlines are getting cancellations so maybe more FF miles flights will open up.

The baht finally seems to be sinking a bit. The US$ was 30.61 earlier at TT with the pound at 40 even.

Guess it's already been confirmed but I saw her there a few nights ago.

Kobe lived in Italy for a number of years in his youth. That is where he became a big football (soccer) fan and learned fluent Italian.

The link Big Tel posted mentioned that China was stopping all outbound tour groups as of today (Monday). Kind of amazing really they waited that long. I guess in a week or so from today there will be no Chinese tour groups still in Pattaya and those damn big ass buses will be parked. I would guess the Chinese tourists that flew out in recent days were quite happy to go. I read an interesting article on CNN.com yesterday written by a reporter that also was around for SARS. Unfortunately I can't find it today. It said SARS was often worse in newer well equipped hospitals. Apparently it perhaps had something to do with air conditioning trapping the virus inside the hospitals vs no A/C and having the windows open. Kissing would seem the perfect vehicle for transmission. Bye bye GFE. I'm actually considering going home. It would be nice if the Chinese could be depended on to tell the real facts so we knew what the hell is really going on.

I went to a large pharmacy on Soi Buakhao and the lady behind the counter had a typical size breathing mask on. But it was more than a regular mask as it had some smallish device on the outside of the mask off center a bit. She usually never wears a mask. She confirmed she was worried about the Coronavirus.

Do the sex workers in Europe do uncovered oral? I'm under the impression most don't in the US.

The infected Chinese can still leave for Thailand today.

Yes which is why I drink ale in the US. I wouldn't touch the lawn mower beer I drink here in SE Asia back home. Lawn mower beer = so light and with so little taste it's great to pound down a few after mowing the lawn. Sorry