friendphil

I'm so sorry to hear of tourists and expats, as well as Thai nationals, getting killed and injured on the roads of Thailand.

I wish, for their own sake, tourists and also expats would wise up about riding motorcycles. It is nothing short of stupid to be driving or riding them thinking that it isn't intrinsically dangerous, with Thailand having one of the highest (if not THE highest) fatality rates in the world. I see so many farangs driving motorcycles with no helmet... do they think they are supermen or something? I have compassion for those getting injured and killed, yes. AND it would be great it we warn friends of the dangers of renting cycles, driving them without some kind of training and without proper safety equipment.

In hope of a more heedful and safety-conscious community, farangs and Thai alike....

may all beings be safe

Excuse me for being ever critical of the "journalism" that typically shows up here, and the depth and accuracy of the reporting. Neither the post nor the story I read following the link disclose WHERE this sentencing took place. One might assume such and such....maybe. But anyone who's learned how to write a news story will remember: "who, what, where, when, why and how."

Anyway, mai pen rai.... We've come to not expect too much from the news here.

Incredibly tight security, isn't it?

I never heard of ths incident before now, and the story doesn't say when it happened. Or did I miss something?

I was watching an expat video on how it is surrounded by mountains and there is no way for the smoke to get out until the rains come. Wow really who would want to retire there? This sounds like a night mare. The air quality is bad enough down here.

Where is "down here"?

Good question!

Generally, my health has declined, and I find it more difficult to remain healthy here.

For one, I find it harder to eat well here. Good food seems comparatively expensive, in proportion to the relative value of things, and the affordable food is usually lots of rice, and a few veggies and a little meat. Also, coming from California to here, I truly miss the abundance of ethnic foods there, as well as lots of organic foods. Here it's hard to know what one is eating in that regard.

Weather-wise, the heat doesn't help my energy, nor my appetite, it seems. So I think I've lost a little weight that I didn't need to lose, and generally have lower energy--- especially when it gets hot (which, of course, is a lot of the time.)

Another thing I miss is all the hiking and out-of-doors exercise opportunities that are available where I lived before. Here, I don't get nearly the exercise walking and hiking that I did before. And my work in the U.S. was often outdoors, and constituted darned good exercise.

But, the good nature of many of the people make up for a lot here. So, it's a compromise, no matter where I am living.

I guess one might glean from this that a good alibi, should one be needed to offer Thai police, MIGHT BE to mention the night market at Thonburi. Seemed to work for him!

WHAT I found missing in this story were some details such as dates and time spans (re: for one, "after the new Act relating to drug suppression measures was enacted, 31,196 drug cases with assets of Bt17.3 billion were seized."), and who is/was "Kosin Chuchai"? (owner of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class and a Rolex watch.)

I did really appreciate the in-depth explanation of a motivation for drug dealers. : "Permpong said the wealth accumulated by drug dealers motivated them to take risks to make more money." (Do you detect some sarcasm from me here?) "No shit, Dick Tracey."

It's okay to piss in public,

but kissing not.

I crossed around 3pm on Friday coming into Thailand from Laos, no problems whatsoever.

It sounds like it is not the same for all people.

Are you Lao, Thai, farang or ??? thanks.

Until they start going after the owners with big lawsuits, nothing is going to change.

Good point but nothing will happen because its likely the bus company owners are friends or relatives of influential people. The company owner may himself be an influential person.

Nothing changes in Thailand.

Yes. And, it's my understanding that many (most?) of the buses are government owned and operated. So, it would not be correct for them to go after themselves, now, would it?

I worked at a school that withheld tax, and gave me a receipt each month.. I then took to the provincial or municipal tax office and applied for a refund, since I hadn't made more than xx amount (i don't know how much i'd have to make to have owed taxes).

Perhaps you could go to the tax office with pay stubs and get some kind of document to show work permit people, as to whether you've paid or not needed to pay.

And... you are thinking about this on the 18th and have until the end of the month? Heck, that's not urgent! By my standards you're way ahead of the ball game.... I'm normally thinking about something like this while I'm on my way to the work permit office!

Anyway.... good luck!

The penalty appears to be 2,000 baht for smoking in areas that are posted no smoking. The penalty for not wearing a helmet: 200 baht.

Is 200 baht a serious hit for something much more hazardous and potentially deadly? Or is it easy tea money for the police?

Wanna cut traffic fatalities? Thailand better get serious. I don't think there is the consciousness or the desire to do so.

Good.idea....

I do not understand why people keep hiring these jet skis ....

TAT...Tourist.Authority.of.Thailand...needs.to.make.a.little.(or.not.so.little!).booklet.for.tourists:"Be.Careful.in.Thailand!"

Of.course,it.would.scare.people.off...There.are.getting.to.be.just.too.many.things.to.be.on.guard.for.here.

AND,of.course,TAT.could.and.would.never.do.such.a.thing.....

Thus,no.warning.for.tourists.about.jet-ski.rentals....Who.is.going.to.warn.them?

(please.excuse.my.keyboard,which.is.lacking.a.space.key.thus.the.excessive.use.of.periods.(period))

No excuse for it, he should of done something then

I guess that saysit all.....Very astute assessment of the situation....almost as good as the news post itself!

No excuse for it, he should of done something then

I.guess.that.says.it.all.....Very.astute.assesssment.of.the.situation....almost.as.good.as.the.story!...

Note that the ministry of science couldn't actually come up with a plan of their own it is a Japanese funded and developed scheme

To think if brains were dynamite the collective power of this puppet government wouldn't be enough to blow Yinglucks nose

WELL....It's Japanese dollars (whoops! I guess where I come from is showing!)....rather, it's Japanese baht that is at greatest risk here. What do Thais have to lose in a flood other than people?

(When I asked a friend about the lack of reporting on the numbers of human casualties in the flood two years ago,she replied, "Not important." So....what is?)

Applies to single men over 50 to.

CAn you expand on that or cite some reference?

He is most likely getting Social security from the US which is now little over 45,000 thb a month. He could go for the marriage extension.

That.is.simply.not.accurate....

(excuse.my.,keyboard,please...my.space.key.is.not.working)

SS.varies,depending.on.how.much.money.a.person.made.in.his.working.life.in.the.U.S.and.how.much.therefore,he(or.she)paid.into.SocialSecurity.

I.get.significantly.less,and.have.had.to.do.visa.runs.about.every.five.months:a.three.month.visa.then.a.two-month.extension(the.visa.a.non.O.and.the.extension.allowed.is.two.months.if.married.to.a.Thai.woman)....

If.someone.knows.a.better.alternative.I'd.like.to.know.about.it!

And.if.someone.can.prove.me.wrong.and.i'm.supposed.to.be.getting.about.45,000.baht.a.month,I'd.really.like.to.know.about.that!

Another superlative job of reporting. (I am kidding) If the police didn't get what they wanted, they sure came close to it!

I've seen it in both the Thai schools where I've taught. And I agree (not with the poster, sorry) that it is not a big deal. That's my opinion. I often think of a couple things when I see cultural differences here in Thailand from what I am accustomed to back home: 1) "community standards" 2) "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

It's just frustrating to try to change much here. Be glad if the students learn something, that's how I look at it. In fact, I am glad if a few of the students learn something.

I've come to admire their neat penmanship (tho' certainly not all students have that!). And if you want them to take notes on what you say rather than what you write on the board..... well, you'd best write that on the board too!

If school kids pay their bus fee every trip on disembarking, you can bet your ass not a single kid will remain behind on reaching the destination.

you stay thailand long time..... :-)

Nah, just landed yesterday. Haven't read the TAT brochures yet.

With over 6,000 posts, I'd guess "Dirty old man" has been in Thailand for more than a week or two. That is a good point, also, the suggestion of paying when disembarking. But, do three year olds normally pack the change and pay their bus driver?

When busing kids under a certain age, they should be required to get a receipt from a teacher or other responsible person, showing that the kids have all been delivered and received on each trip. It's not like they are delivering pizza, which the delivery boys are NOT going to leave sitting in the box unpaid-for.

Rest in Peace, little one.

This is so tragic, and one can only hope that politicians can turn their attention towards safety long enough to put some safety standard requirements in place for vehicles busing children, and for children in vehicles in general.

Also, I commend BuddhistVirus for -- " Rest in Peace, little one." -- that is, for spelling out this sentiment, rather than using the customary abbreviation. That "RIP" always seems a rather cursory, shallow way to express sympathy.

I echo the sentiments of the above poster, Rest in Peace, little one. And I hope the loss of your life will not have been in vain, but can somehow serve some purpose in preventing this from happening again.