passon

12 minutes ago, jvs said:

It's bigots like you that prove the flaws of humanity.  Using stereotypes like Adam and Steve, or comparing gay marriage to bestiality, pedophilia, or using disgusting terms like fags, he-shes, and lesbos is divisive, hateful, and hostile. Adam and Steve?  Were you a witness to the beginning of time?  Your Bible is a book of manufactured stories.  Your logic, or lack thereof justifies persecution because intolerance exist in other countries.  Your principles are flawed and infinitesimal compared to developed nations that embrace humanity, equality, and freedom.  You seem to be an advocate of suppression, repression, and disenfranchisement.  I'm a gay man and your use of the word fag is offensive, destructive, racist, and bigoted.  You are a small minded individual who lacks compassion, and objectivity.  You should move to one of those 70 countries that you outlined in your bigoted rant that has a more anaclitic society that shares your lack of values.  

Was it from a previous post?  I only viewed it under your name. I would be more than happy to send my thoughts their way.  Glad to know it wasn't you and that you see their comments as, "drivel."  I have dealt with people who think like this for well over 40 years.  It's very personal for me.  

15 minutes ago, Logosone said:

That's exactly how I feel about it. I generally don't oppose "normal" gay marriage, but I think transgenderism (people who actually think they are the opposite gender) is a mental illness that should not be encouraged. Unfortunately in most countries what happens after gay rights are granted is indeed that other groups like transgenders and pedophiles demand "rights" too.

You generally oppose "normal" gay marriage?  I am always amazed by heterosexuals who seem to think they have some exclusive right to marriage.  That love is only predicated by the opposite sex and should only be displayed or recognized as normal within a practicing society.  That is extremely pretentious on your part or the part of anyone who defines normal to be by their own set of rules.  You think being transgender is a mental illness?  You could not be more wrong.  Actually, your analogy of mental illness is the principle contributing factor of gender dysphoria.

Referencing the diagnostic criteria of DSM-5 [diagnostic criteria depression], or the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, it provides for one overreaching diagnosis of gender dysphoria with separate criteria for children and for addesscents, and adults.  Gender dysphoria refers to the conflict and stress resulting from identifying with opposite gender you were not born into.  In other words, the way we [society] treats transgenders by shunning them and making them fell less than the whole of society and therefore identifying them as suffering from a mental illness all contribute to gender dysphoria.   

Your thinking is not the solution, or consistent with an educated prognosis, it is in fact the problem developed with uninformed thinking and prejudicial conclusions.

On 7/12/2020 at 2:22 PM, jvs said:

Of course there should be no gay marriages in Thailand or anywhere in the world. There's the age old saying "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve". 

 

It's illegal to be LGBT in 70 countries, and you could be given the death penalty in 12 countries. In Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan this death penalty is regularly imposed across the county. You can also be punished by death in some provinces of Somalia and Nigeria.  A further six, have legal or religious provisions that also allow for the death penalty for consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults. In Afghanistan, Brunei, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the law exists, but there is little evidence LGBT+ are facing the death penalty.

 

Once a country starts accepting this they will start accepting other sick stuff like beastiality, pedophilia, etc. Same same but different.

 

There are a lot of people who come to live in Thailand because fags are not accepted in their countries and they know full and well Thailand has a lot of fags/he-shes/lesbos and it's tolerated here.

It's bigots like you that prove the flaws of humanity.  Using stereotypes like Adam and Steve, or comparing gay marriage to bestiality, pedophilia, or using disgusting terms like fags, he-shes, and lesbos is divisive, hateful, and hostile. Adam and Steve?  Were you a witness to the beginning of time?  Your Bible is a book of manufactured stories.  Your logic, or lack thereof justifies persecution because intolerance exist in other countries.  Your principles are flawed and infinitesimal compared to developed nations that embrace humanity, equality, and freedom.  You seem to be an advocate of suppression, repression, and disenfranchisement.  I'm a gay man and your use of the word fag is offensive, destructive, racist, and bigoted.  You are a small minded individual who lacks compassion, and objectivity.  You should move to one of those 70 countries that you outlined in your bigoted rant that has a more anaclitic society that shares your lack of values.  

I was just in the Chiang Mai Immigration office this last Wednesday with a Thai friend to clarify this topic and a few others.  I have my SSI letter from the USA, but my benefits do not equal the minimum requirement of 65,000 baht per month, so the letter will not be considered during my next renewal process.  I was told by the IO it either had to be 65,000 baht per month over 12 consecutive months deposited into a Thai bank account, or 800,000 baht seasoned into a Thai bank account two months before my extension request and three months after its approval.  Therefore it is now my understanding that immigration will no longer accept a combination of funds, it's one or the other.

Am I missing something here? Plastic surgery is Bt100,000.00, which takes three to four days, but a two day skin treatment cost Bt500,000.00. I'll bet the planes with all the tourist will be backed up at the airport for the skin treatment deal!

I look at the rising baht the same way I look at rising gas prices; they are arbitrarily raised based upon some [artificial] set of facts that always

have something to do with supply and demand, and the preservation of both; but, it rarely, if ever, realigns itself at the same speed, or with that same sense of artificial urgency upon which it was raised. The U.S. Dollar has recently strengthened against the Euro and the Yen. It is expected that the BOJ [bank of Japan] is about to implement more "dovish" policies and that it may also implement "unlimited" quantitative easing in 2014, which will allow the dollar to continue building strength against the Yen. However, none of that is reflected in the exchange rate between the USD and the THB.

I find this part of the article interesting: He [Korn] also said that Thailand and Japan have different economic situations -for example the Japanese have massive savings - so different measures should be taken for the two countries...It is untrue that the Thai gross domestic product depends mostly on exports. In fact, about 52 per cent of the GDP comes from domestic consumption...

It is true that Thailand has become less dependent on exports and more dependent on domestic consumption; however the comments by Korn imply to me that consumers are spending the bulk of their discretionary income, or living on massive amounts of credit, or both. I saw firsthand the effects of a country [uSA] that built its economy on a House of Cards, and I knew, as many people knew that the house would fall, and it did. Building the Thai economy on more borrowed money, such as the 68 billion baht infrastructure bill, or building it on the false premise that rebates for cars and houses will guarantee financial longevity and prosperity are all the machinations of a government and society living on credit.

The Exchange Traded Fund [ETF] recently declined by 6% and some economist believe the 68 billion dollar infrastructure project could negatively affect the Thai economy. However, let the baht wizards have their fun by putting more of their eggs into the domestic consumption basket while reducing exports with a stronger baht, minimum wage schemes, and rice pledging schemes that will create more domestic dependency in order to grow the economy, because without growth there is no [real] confidence.

In my opinion the Thai economy is at a vulnerable point, a pivoting point if you wll, because if you believe something simply because you want to believe it, but not because it makes sense, then it's a lot like playing the lottery with long odds, a lot of wishing, but rarely with the desired result.

There is little they should do to manipulate the baht against this flood of money from the USA EU and Japan.

If they cut interest rates to cheapen the baht this will just make the credit situation worse.

I think you missed my point, the baht has already been artificially manipulated and that a continuation of that policy in combination with massive amounts of borrowing [infrastructure] and government schemes [cars, houses wages, and rice], will only, in my opinion, increase the country's dependency on domestic consumption; therefore if domestic consumption is based upon a lack of discretionary income [savings] and an increase in massive amounts of credit [debt]; then, if the debt can not be paid down, you will have less credit and less consumption. Even Korn admits the country does not have massive savings reserves. However, the USA, as an example, is already chasing bad money in Europe, so that "flood of money" will only serve to cheapen the baht as it continues to inflate. What goes up, must come down...

During the trip, Thaksin discussed the flooding situation with the MPs, asserting that the the country must be fully restored within three months.

Odd ..... his time-frame is usually six.

He's gotten older and time is short!

I just got back from Chatuchak. The MRT (Chatuchak) has been closed. BTS is open but some wading required to get to/from it. The road surrounding the market is flooded to 0.5 m but the market is dry thanks to contrete flood walls across the entrance. I didn't enter but there were no open stalls visible from the park.<br><br>Walked/waded up to Lat Phrao: Central Mall is closed, Tesco Lotus is open.<br><br>

I GIVE UP TRYING TO POST PHOTOS TO THIS FORUM!

See: http://tyfon.info/TV/latphrao.htm

I took the BTS out to Mo Chit and saw everything you are describing, with exception to Central Lat Phrao and Tesco Lotus (I did not venture from the Mo Chit area). JJ market, as you said looked more closed than opened. Also, the flood waters were slowly migrating into Saphan Khwai, but only on one side, which would be, I believe the east side. This was at about 2:00 P.M. (Sunday) and I'm sure it will be worse by tomorrow.

PM is addressing the nation and not one channel has an English marque, subtitle or anything that would help foreigners to understand WTBlank she is talking about...I must be a ghost...Boo!

Two traveling cities pull within speaking distance of your country to offer an avalanche of help: supplies, manpower, aircraft, medical personnel and medical pharmaceuticals, food, emergency equipment and you decide not to speak to them. I guess if they were tied to the train tracks with an advancing train in their path and someone from another country offered to cut the rope, they'd turn it down just to save face. I simply do not have the words to describe my disbelief. Instead of one disaster, the government just keeps creating more, and more, and...Wow!

Today I traveled on Bus 6 from Khlong Ton Sai, Klongsan (near the Hilton Hotel) which is alongside the Chao Praya River. I got off at Sanam Luang and took bus 203 over the Chao Praya River, past Pinklao to Bang Kruai, back over the Chao Praya and ended up in Wong Sawat. From there I took Bus 97 to Bang Sue, Saphan Khwai and onto Thanon Phahon Yothin to Arai and then took the BTS back to the BTS Taksin station after making a few stops. Every place I went was dry. I saw three different areas of the Chao Praya and noticed that the waters were high, but not spilling over. I saw a few military trucks, here and there, but no major movements. I did not observe a lot of sandbags, but I did see a major fortress of sandbags at Central Silom. I stopped at several stores, The Villa in Arai; Tops in Silom and Tops in Sapan Taksin. There of course were a lot of goods being purchased, but only Tops in Silom had a lot of empty shelves. Robinsons at Taksin had a lot of flashlights for sale on the top floor and no one had any Sterno, which was something I was personally hoping to find. I did notice a few restaurants that could not operate because they did not receive their food deliveries. When I took the boat ferry across the Chao Praya from Taksin, I did notice that the water had risen to the top and was just slightly overflowing into the immediate area, but that was the worst thing I saw all day. Well, that was my little trip around the city and I thought it might be nice to share!

Thanks for sharing. Straight up reporting makes a refreshing change.

Absolutely my pleasure. Your welcome!

Today I traveled on Bus 6 from Khlong Ton Sai, Klongsan (near the Hilton Hotel) which is alongside the Chao Praya River. I got off at Sanam Luang and took bus 203 over the Chao Praya River, past Pinklao to Bang Kruai, back over the Chao Praya and ended up in Wong Sawat. From there I took Bus 97 to Bang Sue, Saphan Khwai and onto Thanon Phahon Yothin to Arai and then took the BTS back to the BTS Taksin station after making a few stops. Every place I went was dry. I saw three different areas of the Chao Praya and noticed that the waters were high, but not spilling over. I saw a few military trucks, here and there, but no major movements. I did not observe a lot of sandbags, but I did see a major fortress of sandbags at Central Silom. I stopped at several stores, The Villa in Arai; Tops in Silom and Tops in Sapan Taksin. There of course were a lot of goods being purchased, but only Tops in Silom had a lot of empty shelves. Robinsons at Taksin had a lot of flashlights for sale on the top floor and no one had any Sterno, which was something I was personally hoping to find. I did notice a few restaurants that could not operate because they did not receive their food deliveries. When I took the boat ferry across the Chao Praya from Taksin, I did notice that the water had risen to the top and was just slightly overflowing into the immediate area, but that was the worst thing I saw all day. Well, that was my little trip around the city and I thought it might be nice to share!

The decision to spare Bangkok for as long as possible was the right decision. Bangkok is the nerve center, the financial center, the city that represents Thailand. Keeping Bangkok functioning as long as possible, kept the country going. It's easy to say should've,, would've, could've, but the key government and key military command centers are in Bangkok.The location selection dates back decades. The military hadn't even considered relocating key command functions until recent days. The government will have a hard time functioning without Bangkok because this is where the key bureaucrats and scientists are located. The major medical centers are in Bangkok. There are literally tens of thousands of critically ill people in hospitals that are transported in from outside of Bangkok, that have nowhere to go. The medical care strategy ahs always used Bangkok as the core region for high risk medical care. I am sorry large portions of Thailand have suffered the brunt of the flooding, but having Bangkok up and working allowed for all of these people to be helped. As Bangkok floods, the ability to assist those in need will contract.

The next question will be whether or not the south will be able to step up and provide the relief needed.

As you stated, all the key controls (government, economic, scientific and military) have been centralized in Bangkok for decades, which means they have had decades to decentralize its operations. Any successful operation structure is built with contingency and redundancy. As a former crisis manager who developed contingency plans for a major high rise building in Los Angeles; I, in partnership with city and state government insured both a Plan A and Plan B in response to any potential disaster. We especially understood the potential for a catastrophic earthquake, and designed our best case scenarios form our worst case scenarios We recommended to our tenants that they utilize the use of alternate data storage in states that were not in proximity to California which might also suffer, by extension damage outside of an earthquakes epicenter. Government and the private sector worked together to implement the structures of crisis management and to be prepared for any inevitability. This had everything to do with sharing resources and insuring, if I may simply the process, that all of our eggs were not concentrated into one basket. As Bangkok floods, to use your analogy, the ability to assist those has already contracted simply due to the distractions of attempting to salvage its centralized operations and resources, and its inability to execute or communicate an effective disaster management plan. The government is already having a hard time functioning, and because it lacks the components of proper disaster mitigation, people are suffering; and, the major medical facilities you speak of are far beyond the reach of an ordinary Thai citizen, so it's a stretch to imply that any of them would suffer if in the event these hospitals were compromised if Bangkok were flooded. I too am sorry that large portions of Thais have suffered because of the worst flooding in at least 50 years, but it does not mean they should have to continue to suffer to insure the integrity of a system that set itself up for disaster. To ask people to suffer (more) because of the incompetence of others who want to avoid suffering is the height of arrogance, and it is obvious that those who have suffered are, for the most part unwilling to accept that they should continue to suffer anymore than they already have.

I love the advise on the crocodiles! I feel safer already with my stick!

Cheers!

Hey, at least the crocodile won't eat the stick!

I suspect that the Japanese companies will lick their wounds from this devastation and continue on. Easier to repair than to relocate. But if Thailand wishes to have additional investment by foreign companies in the future, THEY MUST come up with an actual working flood plan so this will not occur in the future. If there is hand wringing this year , and then the government's money is spent on useless submarines and fighters, and then more floods occur next year, you can kiss foreign investment good bye.......

It's extremely hard to lick a wound that is submerged underwater and impossible to continue on if there is no emphasis on flood water mitigation, as you eluded to. These companies will either collect the insurance to repair or replace the equipment that is currently underwater; I believe they will negotiate the replacement cost for all their damaged equipment at wholesale, and make up the difference in retail cost, which they may attempt to collect from the Thai government. A new machine is much more reliable than one that has been submerged underwater for a long period of time, which also allows these firms to relocate, if that is their intention. They will have plenty of time to decide their action plan. Risk management has a lot of tiers initiated into it and it is never a simple process, so there will be a cost ratio analysis of what is best for the bottom line based upon short and long term expectations and realizations. Thailand, as you said will have an opportunity to inject itself into that process and provide their assessment of its failure to control the floodwater and its short and long term approach to towards mitigating future events. Mere words will have a deafening effect on that process, so I suspect, in all things related to business, they will have one chance to make the right impression in order to salvage the damage that has already been done.

Best of luck Passon! I'm heading back to Bangkok Tuesday night and I hope all will be well. The conflicting reports are maddening for those of you in country I'm sure. But it doesn't help those of us on the abroad either!

Thanks so much. The streets are almost clear now, and it doesn't appear there is another storm headed this way, at least for the time being. Yes, the message machine has way too many Indians in the tribe, and each one tells a different story which is very frustrating. I hope all is clear here when you arrive on Tuesday, all we can do is hope! Safe trip!

We are flooded out here in Charoennakorn, near BTS Krung Thonburi. The streets and sidewalks are underwater at the moment. The storm just pushed out, so I'm sure it will be a few hours before all the water drains out.

To the OP: I was in that same bus on Monday morning but just for a border run... As far as I remember, the lady in charge mentioned, on the way back, that for people who want to apply for a tourist visa, some rules are becoming more strict and have to provide proof of stay and sufficient funds... Sorry to hear that implementation of the law caused you trouble.

@Crossy: yes, you stay at The Tropicana -for 2 nights- while one of their agent is going to Phnom Penh with your passport, to apply for the visa.

Thanks. That was nice of you to mention that!

The three guys who went with Jack Golf on Wednesday were supposed to come back with us this morning and are STILL stuck in Poi Pet at the Tropicana as their applcations for tourist visas were denied on Thursday. All 3 only requested single-entry after they were told double-entries were no longer possible. Jack told them they may end up stuck there until Monday and still may not get the tourist visas, so may end up coming back into Thailand with only 15 day stamps.

Staying only two hours at the Tropicana is already a nightmare... I could not dream about staying there one week!

By the way, that means that these poor guys did not even got their passport back... So their books are somewhere in P.P.?!?

Thank you. I really dislike the Tropicana and I sort of went off in the lobby on the 4th day when I was told, once again, that my passport was being held up, and I included my displeasure of the hotel in my tirade. Too bad most of the staff can't speak English, then they would know it too. My heart goes out to the three who are there for the weekend. I don't even have to imagine their frustration.

I'm confused, I don't think there is a Thai consulate in Poipet or do Jacks put you in the Tropicana and send the passports to the embassy Phnom Penh?

Sorry; yes, your right. The passports do go to Phnom Penh. Poipet is where the hotel is located.

I just returned from a visa run with Jack's Golf. Lots of problems. I applied for a single sixty day tourist visa. I was away from the country for six months and returned in August and got my 30 day stamp. When I went to Poipet, Thai Immigration held my passport for three days. I was told by Jack's staff at one point that I had too many extension request; again, I have been away for six months, and that I had too many overstays ( two one day overstays...six years ago). Then I was told my paperwork was not in order, in addition to the other excuses. I submitted a letter of residence signed by the manager of the complex where I live, since I do not have a return air ticket or a hotel reservation. I was in Cambodia for 5 days and four nights, at an additional expense to myself. The itinerary was for three days and two nights. I brought enough clothes for two nights. Thank God I brought money, since the Tropicana Hotel (the one that Jack's uses) does not accept credit cards. Anyway, I was told by Jack's representatives, because I asked, that 3 others were held back in the group that I arrived with on Monday (9/12) and five others were held back with the group that came in on Wednesday (9/14). Anyway, it's not Jack's fault, but Thai Immigration in Poipet (I can not speak for others) is putting visa request under the microscope and using old rules to assert new power; so, if your going to Poipet, I highly suggest you do your homework first, or at least pack clothes for a one week stay. I've been in and out of Thailand for 7 years and I have never had a problem until now. It would be nice if others could chime in if they have also experienced problems at this border or any other border for that matter.

Passon, what would a Thai need to do to hang out in your civilized home country indefinitely?

Thank you for referring to my country as civilized, that's a good start to answering your question. Indefinitely is an unknown quantity, but to be specific, a second visa stamp in my civilized country entitles a Thai person to enter and exit the country for a period of ten years. My country also allows foreigners things like resident alien status, green cards and a path to citizenship. How does that match up to Thailand's alien resident program?

"respect for another country's visa laws." Respect granted where respect is warranted but in this case the laws have been drafted by myopic xenophobic idiots that impose nonsensical and impractical conditions for those who don't fit into or who object to their ridiculous conditions.

In any civilized western country such laws could be challenged as being racist and unjust but hey,.. this is Thailand so why bother trying to conduct an intelligent conversation about it? The greater majority of their rationale behind such ever changing laws and imposition thereof just defies logic,but this is not a land of logic so again why bother?

The 15 day walk,.. the 2 stamps limit, the 800,000bht in the bank before retirement/marriage visa is granted,.... all totally stupid, impractical, imbalanced and unjust. Then to have a farang singing praises to their righteousness is just too much to bear!

Sure makes the overstay model increasingly attractive. No border runs, no visa hoopla, and a simple 20,000 baht on your way out (provided you don't get arrested and black marked) and that can save you a bundle even if you overstay by a year.

Introduce sensible, fair and equitable laws and then you'll probably get fairer play.

How can you respect the laws of a country when they are both totally stupid and unjust and also when they mean nothing to the Thais themselves as corruption from the top all the way down to local government and the tea money collecting BIB prevails with no abatement in sight?

Sounds like you're quite angry and not cut out for living away from home.

In any civilized western country such laws could be challenged as being racist and unjust but hey

What Thai immigration laws are racist and unjust, and could be challenged as so in a 'civilized western country'?

If you're a genuine tourist, get a tourist visa. Tourists don't live here for years on end.

If visiting friends, get a Non-O

If studying - a Non-Ed

Working - Non-B

etc etc.

A great system for those who belong here. If you don't meet the criteria that they set in their country, that's your fault, not theirs. 10s (100s?) of thousands of foreigners living here perfectly legally with their own house (yes, house), their own car, their own condo extremely easily. No visa worries at all. A great system. Well done Thailand.

Wow, and it doesn't get too much more cavalier than that. "A great system for those who belong here." So if you don't have a house or a car or a condo, you don't belong here, right? What exactly is the criteria? I'm not visiting friends, I don't need to study or work, but I live here completely dependent upon my own resources, and I pay my fair share into the system with no need to buy a house, a car, or a condo. Does that make me an outcast in your book? It's amazing to see so many post here with the "Ive got mine attitude." Tourist live here years on end because they have no other option, so as convenient as your little world is, it is the system that requires them to access whatever means is available to them to stay in a place they chose to call home. For you to say otherwise is selfish, arrogant and self-righteous.