TechnikaIII

These numbers go up and down like a bride's nightdress.

Forget the bride's dress. Mine goes up and down regardless.

...

However, the word is out, around the world about the hideously dangerous roads, and the maniac van drivers. For the most part this hazard does not effect the wealthy tourist being shuttled from the airport to their seaside hotel for a few weeks, but for many the free ranging travellers, it hangs heavy in their minds. When my son visited from Norway this year, he refused to go anywhere that required road transport, and he's no chicken - an intrepid mountain skier, rock climber and completed a years training with real experience in The Royal Norwegian Navy and Coast Guard. He knows about risks and dangers, but has seen too many articles about smashed vans and buses in Thailand.

When there is political strife, foreign governments announce warnings, cautioning their nationals to avoid the trouble spots, if not actually cancelling altogether. But there is a much higher danger, and it is a constant, politics aside, travelling in those little white buses, packed like sardines with no seat belts, belting along at 140+ kmph, swerving from lane to lane, over taking on the inside of large vehicles and on blind corners. I have had my last trip ever to Mae Sot, the last time only just 20 minutes behind another van, which had tried to overtake a larger vehicle and slammed into a parked truck he couldn't see. The bodies were still in the squashed van when I saw it.

Someone please pass this onto the minister for tourism.

If they clean up their act, advertising expenditure can be reduced to a minimum.

You do work while in Thailand (with your laptop) and don't pay tax in Thailand. This is illegal.

I believe you are wrong about this.

(Searching for information in very recent thread, stating that one CAN be accessing work online whilst in Thailand.)

Besides, this is not something that can be controlled anyway!

Further, It is stupid to even mention it, to anyone, because there are so many pompous immigration officials who don't even know the rules, and can't wait to slam a stamp in someone's passport, in addition to arm chair Thai Visa "officials" who shoot from the hip about what they think they know.

It does not surprise me at all that they did not want it.

I have been saying all along not to worry about it. Unless asked for it don't bother to try.

so you are saying people should willingly break the law?

No ..... (deep sigh ) ... What ubonjoe is suggesting is that sometimes, and in the case of this ruling, you inform the authorities on a 'need-to-know' basis.

Thanks ubonjoe

So who is more screwed, this guy from Sweden or his homeless compatriot?

The Swede. He comes from a country where social security is second to none. Medical and dental, all covered by the state. Better even than wealthier Norway. Social security takes care of his parents. He deserves no second chances, no clemency, no easy road back to Sweden, unless he's in a body bag, ... just a rope around his neck.

The Philippine associate has done serious wrong, but no doubt has a tougher existence, and certainly looks forward to none of the benefits enjoyed in the developed world (excluding the USA) He should and will do time. Enough to hurt, but not so much that will destroy any dependents back home.

Waste the Swede.

He should be got back to Sweden by whatever means possible and then have his passport revoked. Give him freedom to travel again and he will be back causing more problems. Easily sorted if the Swedish Government gets off its arse.

Yeah ! You go and tell the Swedish Government !

This is the first step to reclaiming Pattaya for the Thai's . . .

... and the sooner the better.

He is the best chiropractor I have been to in Pattaya, and better than all but ne I have been to in Saudi Arabia and England.

Big loss to the community.

Try and run an unregistered business of any description in Norway, as an illegal immigrant working for "svart penger" (black money) and see what sort of sympathy you get from the Norwegian authorities, however valuable you think you are.

None !

Norway is the most protectionist country on the planet!

This guy is no different from the Russian woman recently stopped at the border .. the diving school manager. Remember her?

Nonsense.

Have you ever experienced vertigo? If she was in motion, therefor some degree of momentum, the position where she lay, as seen in the photo, is totally plausible. She could have been staggering until she fell.

I have had sudden attacks of vertigo, and one does NOT just drop on the spot.

Banned, obviously. Cant really see what possible argument there could be in their favour.

Anyone who wants to do noisy and dangerous activities should simply go where there are no other people.

"Anyone who wants to do noisy and dangerous activities should simply go where there are no other people"

I don't think the "out of sight - out of mind" approach is much better.

Speedsters, both on water and wheels, are responsible for untold damage in numerous natural wilderness areas all over the word. They need to be reined in everywhere.

I reckon you should move to Alaska, there shouldn't be many speedsters there, there shouldn't be much of anything......... just like you like it, Patts is faaaar too busy for you

Stupid comment. I don't mind "busy", but there is the good busy, the bad and the ugly. The jet skis are a major part of the bad and the ugly. My views are supported by a huge vote to BAN them.

You have absolutely no idea of the 'busy' I have experienced and enjoy.

Hmmm ... Well, I guess you have the right avatar. That cartoon character is not known for his intellect!

Unless you look like an 'undesirable' in overall manner and appearance, with inappropriate clothing etc., you are unlikely to be asked. You should have a booked flight out of Thailand within the 30 day period to reduce suspicion. Of course you won't even be allowed to board the flight to Thailand without an outgoing ticket, (unless you have a long-term visa, proof of funds etc)

Banned, obviously. Cant really see what possible argument there could be in their favour.

Anyone who wants to do noisy and dangerous activities should simply go where there are no other people.

"Anyone who wants to do noisy and dangerous activities should simply go where there are no other people"

I don't think the "out of sight - out of mind" approach is much better.

Speedsters, both on water and wheels, are responsible for untold damage in numerous natural wilderness areas all over the word. They need to be reined in everywhere.

certainly not.

banning stuff is classic lazy left-wing approach to problems.

Safety issues => enforcement of rules

Accidents => enforcement of compulsory insurance for vendors

Pollution/Noise => pfff... compared to what's going on on the streets and elsewhere, 555

"Mafia" control => enforcement

Corruption issues => enforcement

Customers getting violently assaulted (or threatened) to pay extortionate holiday ruining "repair" fees when presented with so called "damage" => enforcement

the word "enforcement" comes up often, which shows that this is a government and police problem.

Banning an activity that at least in theory can be practised legally is the wrong answer in 99% of cases and is killing off individual liberties one by one. Exactly the reason why I moved away from Europe.

"... banning stuff is classic lazy left-wing approach to problems "

This is so funny.

You have just identified yourself as a Right Wing Bigot.

Speaking to this: "Students are expected to attend school 4 days a week for 2 hours, it remains to be seen if going to school for 2 days a week for 4 hours will be acceptable."

The 4 days @ 2 hours is clearly the demand of a disciplinarian, and NOT a qualified educator of the experience needed to make such decisions.

I studied Swedish at Melbourne University, where we had 4 contact hours per week. The first 2 on one day with the senior lecturer of "Germanic Languages", then the other 2 hours with the tutor. To keep up with the course, we were expected to learn 20 new words per day in addition to several written exercises.

The 2x2 is sufficient for mature aged students with a serious intent to study.

More frequent attendance, for shorter periods is suitable for younger students, for example 4 periods at 40 minutes each. The intensity of the lessons and expectations with regard to 'homework' being set according to age and maturity.

However, there has been such abuse of the system that the "angry Headmaster " has decided to haul everyone in for the same 'punishment'.

If the requirement was for 2x2 as I suggest, based on well founded university curricular, and the 90 day reporting replaced with an assessment test, this would weed out the frauds and send them packing, and increase the quality of classroom environments with better outcomes for all.

The 90 day exams could be funded by the money currently handed over to immigration for doing nothing. The schools would collect the same fee to cover the cost and be responsible for reporting delinquents. Verbal exams are face to face, but written tests can be anonymous, with exam ID numbers only. Simple to implement.

My edit: By the way, I have taught in secondary schools in Australia and Norway. My Swedish studies at Melbourne Uni began 1990 when I was 41, then in 1992 I moved to Norway, where I had to pretty much start again, with Norwegian, also gaining over the next 2 decades a working knowledge of Danish, so I could at least read and understand it.

I am 65 now and already making headway with Thai, writing a little each day. With the help of www.thai-language.com and www.thai2english.com + Google, I chat with Thai friends daily. I was intending to enroll at Walen Thai School in 2015 with an ED visa, but I usually stay at a place in Nakhon Sawan province. I refuse to stay in Bangkok for 4 days a week, so yes ... "it remains to be seen" if I will be continuing with the plan. I don't wish to be held in detention by an unqualified government official.

If he has no money, I expect that he now has no choice - hand himself in and throw himself at the mercy of the Thai authorities. If he has a Police report, I would suggest that he present that to Immigration, but ultimately we are talking about someone who knowingly overstayed for 7 months and now has no money - the last guy that happened to ended up living on the beach in Pattaya. If this guy really is your friend, you might want to consider a little sage advice prior to his departure.

I would add that we seem to have quite a few 'I have a friend' threads of late - not saying I dont believe you, simply wondering out loud how many of these stories would even see the light of day if Thailand hadnt initiated the crackdown. There was a lot of hot air about 'innocent people' being caught up in the crackdown - I have to wonder if there is a difference between innocence and the kind of gross naivety that your friend has displayed.

" ... gross naivety ... " +

Consider the posture of one with it's head in the sand.

It's ass is in the air, asking to be kicked.

I can hear the applause from up north.

Dunno what it has to do with the North but certainly applause from Pattaya

... and elsewhere.

Private schools can only have 10% foreigners. Am I reading that correctly?

Language schools? International Schools?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So a school with staff of less than 10 individuals could never employ an alien. This then disadvantages the thousands of small provincial schools.

" ...  He is prohibited from travelling overseas ... and from dismembering anyone else "

 

Frankly, he looks insane ... 

A Norwegian that can't speak English. That's a first 

If you have stayed in Norway for any length of time, it must have been a very limited experience.

Scandinavians are renowned for their English abilities, so if I were an immigration officer and came across one going to Pattaya of all places to improve his, then I'd be more than a little suspicious too.  Far harder for an official to test his English progress than if he were studying Thai, very convenient that.

"Scandinavians are renowned for their English abilities" .. maybe so in some sectors, but is only because in Scandinavia they show a lot of foreign language film and television with original sound track. Also having small populations, many expensive text books for tertiary studies are only available in English.

However, I lived in Norway for nearly two decades, with frequent visits to Denmark and Sweden. During this period I was teaching English in Norway at secondary school level. Whilst many have competent conversation skills, they are fraught with errors and leave much to be desired when it comes to writing.

There isn't anyone in Scandinavia who would not benefit from additional studies in English.

 

.. and the same goes for people in countries where English is the first language!   

There is no easy way to learn any language.

The first prerequisite is the genuine desire to learn.

Then doing the work, which can never be complete without constant reading and writing.

Reading and writing at home, a minimum of an hour every day.

If you do this, also following the exercises as prescribed by the teacher, it will make your class time at the school far more profitable.

(Are you really a teacher? )