twschw

What is a traffic warden? I don't think I was ever one. I was just wondering how the snitching was going?

The UK has a hotline (08005871667) for reporting those not observing/enforcing the smoking ban. I have saved it in my mobile; I wont hesitate to report any establishment failing to enforce the smoking ban.

Do the Thai authorities have/plan a similar hotline? If so please advise, I'll save the number & I'll then be able to do my duty in both countries.

How is this working out? Have you found the number yet? I would be interested in an update.

And did you get your teacher's license too?

I think it is a good idea, the type of people that sign up for this kind of thing are not going to be people that just go ooooh ahhh, it would be a lot of hassle for them to just get a meal if it was the case anyhow.

I think if it gets the people thinking of ways that they could help the less fortunate, then it is fine with me.

Exactly. How can it be in any way negative.

Hopefully (if they have any virtue or morals) they will feel that their expensive meal is extremely over the top (which it is) and they all feel like shit, before during and a long time after their precious little meal..

You both make good points and I will concede to you wisdom. Perhaps some good will come of it. Perhaps I am getting to involved in the words used and not the message. Thanks for pointing me in a more hopeful direction.

Could you elaborate. It is hard to respond to a smiley face.

All the rich people will do is ooh and aah, then go to their $300,000 dinner and forget what the saw earlier. They know the poor exsist. Do the really need a field trip?

OP--'If I am a poor person and I see a rich person is coming, it would make me very delighted because they see at last there is someone coming to look at us,' he said.

What a statement. Some people are so out of touch with reality. Delighted that rich people are coming to look at us--indeed.

I believe I can fly.........Yolanda Adams

If I didn't have the commitments that I have here I would probably not choose Thailand again knowing what I know now. Having said that I am happy here and have no plans to leave.

oh that Blinky Bill

This thread certainly gives balance to the other threads where foreigners are bemoaning the questionble morality of the new government. If we were all as good & pure as we expected Thais to be, this wouldn't be an issue would it?

This thread does have a certain "ick" factor.

The first two words I learned were "mai pet" meaning not spicy. just remember pet has a non-relesed final consonant and you should be understood.

Your post scares me. I got my work permit and an extension until the end of September on my non-O visa. This all happened at the end of January. Now, according to your post your potential new employer is saying that you need to change your visa and get a Teacher License before the work permit. Am I legal or what? I have tried so hard to follow all the rules and for what?

I believe the Thailand authorities consider these places to be diploma mills and as such are not acceptable to them.

Very good idea! I was told that a van would run about 1800 plus fuel. What did you do about overnight stays and such. Were hotel rooms and meals included in the fare? Sorry if I seem a little dumb but I am regarding this but only this you understand

I would love to take my puppy with me to Khon Kaen during my Songkran visit. I usually take the bus as it drops us off right at the village entrance but I believe most bus services won't allow pets. Don't really want to fly. I was thinking about hiring a van to take us there but don't really know the costs. I know of a wonderful boarding facility where I can leave Champ. I have taken him there several times to play and he loves it and the owner but I want to be selfish and keep him with me. Any suggestions would be great. Oh I can't rent a car as I don't use credit cards.

Champ and I thank you.

No, I don't think is is a proportion thing.

Where is your passport issued from? I may be wrong but that country would be your country of residence. Depending on your visa and the mood of the DL officer you speak with you can go to any DL office and take the necessary test to get a DL.

Now what would be the rational behind this ban? It is my car, I paid for it, it is my personal space. Once the banning starts it is hard to stop. What will be next?

It depends whether you drive and smoke with children in the car.

The same laws apply to whether or not you drive wearing a seat belt. It's your car, your personal space, you paid for it, it's your life, so why wear seat belts?

When a law is proclaimed, you don't have a choice.

You said nothing about children in the post I quoted. Now, are you saying that one will not be allowed to smoke in one's own car when alone or when there is a child in the car?

Every year i go to a small village near Khon Kaen and have a wonderful time. My first visit to Thailand was during Songkran and I was a bit unprepared but it was fun anyway.

The Supreme Court of Thailand is moving there in July.

I think that in general no. A language barrier alone won't be the deciding factor in the decision to stay or leave. I think it would take alot more to make someone leave. If you are happy here then the language problem shouldn't be that big a deal. If you are unhappy here then I could see where it could be the final straw.

are you wanting to move back to the same apt building? if so then you may not be welcomed with open arms but if you are going to live somewhere else then i don't think there is a problem.

I have yet to have seen anywhere on here, a smoker mention that point. The issue is that whilst cigarrettes are still legal in their own right, WHY should we have to go outside?

The main argument seems to be about having choice, you know that word "choice". Something that people who live in democratic societies take for granted.

Yes, cigarettes and smoking is still legal, provided you smoke in a place where it is legal to do so. This is the crux of the matter. The places where you can legally smoke are quickly disappearing.

In Australia, the next no-no place for smoking will be in your own vehicle. We already have beaches, certain council owned outside properties, indoor sections of pubs and clubs, inside buildings....and the list goes on.

Thailand is catching up fast with the rest of the world.

So, your question was: 'Why should smokers go outside to smoke?' The simple answer to that is because that regulations now says that to smoke inside is unlawful.

If smokers smoked smokeless cigarettes, or injected nicotine into their veins to get their hit, then I'd be quite happy to have them stay inside whilst 'having a smoke.'

Non-smokers have absolutely nothing against the vast majority of people who happen to be smokers. Smokers are wonderful, friendly human beings but unfortunately when they smoke conventional cigarettes, they fill the air with toxic chemicals that non-smokers (up until recent times) had to inhale.

Prior to the 'no-smoking' law, non-smokers had the choice of whether to remain in the smoked filled bar or to leave. Now the tables have turned. Smokers are the ones that have to leave if they want to smoke.

It takes less than five minutes to smoke a cigarette but the second hand smoke from just one cigarette remains in an enclosed room for much longer than five minutes.

Walk outside to an isolated area, have a five minute smoke and the second hand smoke drifts off into the atmosphere without causing harm or irritation to any other person in the near vicinity.

To obey the no-smoking laws by walking outside to have a smoke should now be simply regarded as being considerate and good manners.

Now what would be the rational behind this ban? It is my car, I paid for it, it is my personal space. Once the banning starts it is hard to stop. What will be next?

I believe it is called "yu fai". From what I can gather it is a sweating process to eliminate bad things. As to the bad smell I was told that 2 days after smelling the strong smell the woman and/or the baby will die. My Thai friend said that is an old custom still widely in practice in rural areas but dying away in larger cities. My friend just had a baby and she is doing this in Udon Thani but she lives and works in Bangkok.

As far as other customs which would appear strange to Farang it would be easier to say do you know of any that wouldn't be considered "strange".