@cmw In the 80s Thailand was one of the emerging Asian "tiger economies". They've gone from strength-to-strength since then, despite political problems and the inevitable corruption concomitant with increasing wealth. The old Thailand is still visible, beneath the motorways. And wily entrepreneurs set up stall between the tower blocks. In the past, villages trained their daughters to work as prostitutes--there was little alternative in employment terms.

@cmw You will have noticed that prostitution is wall-to-wall. The girls are treated with respect--professionals, like plumbers & electricians--offering a service. If that is the only employment available, then the girls should be respected. Have you discovered Thai silk--the finest silk in the world? They didn't used to export it--you had to go there! Don't know about now.

@cmw The breakfast buffet was magnificent. It just lacked bacon! There was Thai food; don't recall kao tom. On buffets eggs decline rapidly, so I learned to ask for fresh eggs. Occasionally, the pineapple was sour. Upon pointing this out someone would bring a fresh-cut, sweeter one, to the table. Also, they would run out of "tangmo"--soon rectified!

@cmw Have you mastered the writing, yet. That could be something of a trial--is it? A friend learned Japanese: he said that it's easy to learn to speak; the nightmare is the calligraphy.

@Cerberus I haven't heard of this! Apparently, ข้าวต้มมัด (khao tom mat) is completely different from ข้าวต้ม (khao tom). Here's a picture of the latter:

Congee/jok (โจ๊ก in Thai) is similar, but they make the rice more of a porridge, whereas khao tom is like a boiled rice soup.

@tony Fresh fruits are the best. Even the lowliest hotel I stayed at there always had plenty of fresh pineapple and watermelon. What hotel did you stay at?

Same with khao: เขา, เข้า, ข่าว, ข้าว. And that's just vowel nonsense. Choosing the right s-, the right t-, the right k- when you aren't overly familiar with the consonants is tricky.

@cmw There were four hotels: in Bangkok the Aromanth--excellent but soulless--a businessman's hotel. Stay one-or-two nights then go; so, they do not bother about the atmosphere. In Chaing Mai, the Pingviman--beautiful olde-worlde wooden furniture. Sadly, my room had barred windows, with all the wood it was a fire trap. There were better rooms but all occupied. Left for the Travelodge: Nimman--a new hotel (open nine months)--you could smell the newness of everything,

@cmw like when you paint a room--that freshness! It took a bit of getting used to: no wardrobes, just a rail which holds four items. For a week I couldn't get a drink. After some mithering the pool bar equipped itself with gin & other spirits--teething troubles! Despite the superb breakfast spread the (Thai) evening meals were too few. Into Chiang Mai, Thapae Gate, a restaurant called "Thapae Grill"--the Thai food will knock your socks off!! Returning to Bangkok I made a mistake.

@cmw This looks good!

@cmw Years ago I stayed at the hotel President, Sukhumvit Road, Soi 11. Nostalgic, thought I'd return: has it gone off! It looked like no attempt had been made to keep up standards, a sorry decline into faded grandeur.....Never go back to the past!! Anyway, good luck on your next visit.

@tony Ah, I feel for you there. It's always sad when your favorite places decline. In Sukhumvit, I stayed at the Rembrandt, which was quite nice and had delicious Mexican and Indian food, of all things. Real authentic stuff, too.

@Cerberus It's quite good! I tend to add chili flakes to mine, too, but otherwise it looks very near that picture.

In Chiang Mai, we went to Tong Tem Toh and Huen Muan Jai, both were phenomenally good.

@cmw The original has no pepper?

@Cerberus You add what you like. The toppings can include cilantro, scallions, fried garlic, sugar, chili pepper, fish sauce, and vinegar.

I also add a bit of sesame oil.

It really adds to the aroma.

@cmw I want it.

@Cerberus It's not that hard to cook. You can find plenty of recipes online, some of them really going all out, but essentially it's broth on rice. Just don't let the rice stay too long in the broth, as it soaks it all up. I made that mistake once taking it for lunch. Wasn't thinking clearly.

Makes sense.

Quite useful.

@Cerberus So it understands anaphora, it just doesn't know how to give a real example?

What does it say if you tell it there's only one non in that sentence, and it's used as a conjunction with solum...sed etiam?

@cmw First, it doesn't understand it except that it can puzzle together the definition.

True, I use "understand" here very, very loosely.

Secondly, the example it gives contradicts what it says (only one non).

Thirdly, it makes random elements bold in the quotation.

@Cerberus I did chuckle at that.

Fourthly, it uses a letter combination which does not exist in latin (sh-).

Lastly, nothing like this quotation exists in a real text.

Not even remotely.

@cmw I don't have it open any more, can try again. What it will typically do is apologise profusely, then produce the exact same thing. Or say something else which is also wrong.

@Cerberus I didn't even catch that one. haha

@Cerberus Yeah, it's all still pretty much garbage when it comes to this type of thing.

@cmw Yup!

And the worst thing is its eternal Joviality.

And self-confidence.

When it is 'sure', it's still often very wrong.