Tight minge

Sounds like a win. As long as no one in the Police plans to be a tit (and I doubt that), the visa should be fine. Take care

Yes, the more severe issues revolved around work, a kind of unavoidable in certain places. The one similar to SlipperyP was my own stupidity. The rest revolved mostly around driving. A friend in The Philippines used to pop into the Barangay hall every month with some beers or some cakes to keep on the good side and always got everything he needed. Its always best to be the smaller person and stay well out the road.

Mixed use developments have been common place over the years in Asia particularly where space is an issue (which makes it easier to plan and develop). I guess we will likely see more and more mixed use developments over the years to facility the need of a more focused home/work balance.

Driving and contributing a ‘foreigner tax’ go hand in hand. I always carry my cash separate from my wallet when driving so I never need to pay anything. With no money there isn’t much they can do. Not conversing in English nor the local language also helps. In several countries in South East Asia, corruption and bribery is endemic as you say and I have suffered and I have also been guilty of ‘abusing’ it. I have bought several driving licences and other permits but also had guns drawn on me and other threats for not ‘playing the game’. I have also been in a relatively similar spot as SlipperyP is right now and fortunately managed to avoid any issues, but could have easily went the other way.

A big bit of a simplification in my opinion, but has some truth and certainly shouldn’t have got you banned. Certainly low level Police/wardens/officials in these countries are supplementing their income and for me a lot of the fines have related to real or fictitious driving fines, it’s easy to spot a foreigner on a motorbike. However, a lot of the corruption is coming at a mid to high level of officialdom where they are getting rich. Barangay and Ketua Kampung chiefs are getting their cut from everything, marriage licences, building planning, local disputes, etc. These people are not supplementing their income, but getting very rich. The higher level of politics is purely about greed and is a much worse state of affairs. For a fee you can do about anything, if you know the right people.

Yup, for various real and fictitious crimes and general legal needs. You can add Bulgaria for a speeding fine as well. Central and Eastern Europe was highly corrupt pre-EU and it’s just common place for most South East Asian countries.

Not Thailand, but Philippines and Indonesia (and also Romania and Hungary from years gone by). Don’t pay, but don’t refuse to pay either. Say you can’t pay and dig your heals in (although immigration is a problem). The starting and ending prices will usually be calculated on your ability to pay. If you cannot pay, their expectations will start to dwindle as will their patience. (although they could make your life shitty). Best to play the smaller man in these instances. ETA: I was in Thailand last week and stopped off at Bangsaen beach. Could have been me.

That’s a tank, isn’t it

Sarawak? Pretty cool spot anyway and plenty of Kampong life.

Which country are you in in this magnificent region?

Yes, all of this could have been avoided, but it’s been bubbling away for years. The fact is there will be zero accountability at the local level. The money paid out to the families already (same thing happened with the Lion Air crash a few years ago), will stop nearly (virtually 100%) any legal action. The local police chief immediately stated they had exhausted all preventative measures before using tear gas, despite tear gas being banned. Jokowi can demand a full investigation but little will come of it. The whole ‘Kampong protection’ drive will be in full swing. It will be interesting to see if FIFA take any real stance here, if not this will be old news very quickly.

Correct, but it’s a factor, along with use of tear gas and heavy handed policing. Indonesian domestic football has been a mess for years plagued with corruption, greed and off the scale policing. This was a mid table clash, all be it by rivals. Traveling support is not really a thing due to the distances, this will squarely fall with the local government, police and club. Hence why the usual and quick offer of a pitiful compensation to stop any future legal actions has been offered. The whole point is the corruption and greed.

Allegedly 42000 tickets sold for a stadium that holds 38000. Indonesian football has a long history of violence. Families of the dead already being offered 15m IDR (GBP880).

A ramp up in production, product lock outs for Navair testing and securing of supply chains. It would appear that someone is looking to be using a lot of missiles/systems in the very near future.

Indonesia would be a completely unrealistic option to host a World Cup at this point. The stadiums would need huge upgrading themselves and the overall infrastructure to accommodate and move the people expected to attend would be an impossibility right now. The investment needed would be too great. Good luck to any team and supporters drawn to play in Banda Aceh, itself being a human rights blot on any application. India would be similar as above, all be it better geared to prepare. Not many Asian countries really have the back end infrastructure to host such a tournament and are some years off being able.

Very true, if you can’t cancel easily, hopefully your insurance can kick in. I would always take the governments travel advice with a pinch of salt. In saying that, just by waiting things may get cancelled anyway by your travel company. A shame if you miss it, great people and great food.

Is Sri Lanka off the table for now? There is a lot of disruption, but mostly centred in Colombo. I assume you would be heading to the tourist areas. It may be worth speaking with the hotel/s there to see what they can do for you if your going to be losing money by cancelling and you may end up getting something preferential. I do a lot of business with Sri Lanka and so far there has been no disruption or issues up to today. Of course it’s a big risk. I’m not sure India is a good place for a honeymoon and it is not a good place to transit through. A lot of fucking about at the airport, always. Was in India last week and in the north the heat is ridiculous: 45c+ and monsoon starting in the south. If you do look somewhere in India, maybe worth looking and Pondicherry.

It was a long time ago now, but drove down through Albania when I lived in Budapest. The coastal road was very poor with heavy traffic. The drive from Macedonia to Tirana was out of this world! I don’t have pictures on my phone from that leg, but the scenery was amazing and the drive fantastic. I guess a lot has changed (for the better) since I was last there, but it is a fantastic place and no real issues with driving.

Two completely different legal precedents then so not the same. There is also enough legal precedence to say that the enlistment act is irrelevant today and has been for decades. Whether anyone should be prosecuted for going to Ukraine can be open for debate, but it’s a weak (non existent) argument in relation to people who fought for ISIS.

Were the ISIS fighters refused help as they had fought for or aided a proscribed terrorist organisation? The people going over to Ukraine are either enlisting in the Ukrainian army or acting as mercenaries which is not illegal? The rights and wrongs can be argued individually but don’t see them being interchangeable.

Yes, but about 20 years ago. At that time it was basic, but excellent. Very compact with a lot of modern history/interest. I would reckon it would only get better through time

Obviously yet to work India (as well as numerous other places). Worked in both Ukraine and Russia (lived in Russia for 6 months or so) before. Both being a pretty surreal experience at times, but none the less fantastic. Russia edging it on the mentalness stakes. All in all, very sound people, with a different approach to life than we would maybe have in the west. Also very much a division of have and have not. For Russia there was the adage of whether you lived inside our outside the MKAD (whether you were rich or poor, with little in between).

Unionpay will more than fill the void to Chinas benefit

May cause some issues for the Indonesian national team.

#Worldle #22 2/6 https://worldle.teuteuf.fr Buggered my recent 100% run.