SoFarAndNear

Probably these statistics forget to mention Islamic countries where monogamy and marriage with many women are legally...

I can only little imagine how it is to loose my child in such a terrible way. But her parents should also prepared that they will come here and will probably not find what they are looking for if they will attend the trial. This is not British justice system. These two boys will come in chains, already experienced hell on earth, tortured to confess. They will tell their stories how they used to survive without visas, corruption and slave labor on this dream island for western tourists. There are already so many contradictions in this case and in western justice these two boys would have a chance of fair trial. Probably they will get sentenced to death with many many open questions.....

On of the biggest corruption scandals in the modern history of Thailand and he was already sentenced just a few weeks later after the big arrest?

Good to see that the culprit was sentenced and of note too that the bus was chartered by the Red Shirt movement.

Certainly seems in this case to show that justice was seen to be done irrespective of the political bias of the involved parties.

Actually he was convicted of looting a television from the bus that had been set on fire - basically an opportunist crime. The arsonists /those responsible for the murder of the student have not been caught or charged. Hardly a glowing example of non partisan judicial decisions as you claim.

Even in western countries looting is counted as serious theft. Not sure if 5 years are really appropriate but we all know how things are done in Thailand if you have the wrong political opinion when the opposite is ruling...

Western tourists had been scred of, russian have no money anymore now live with the chinese invasion....

Who wants to govern if you are personaly liable for subsidy programs?!

A good step in the right direction.

I hope it works as stated.

I still have one worry about the drug testing, if done at the station, hospital or anywhere else.

I am from California where marijuana use is virtually legal..definitely legal for a great many who have prescriptions for legal medical marijuana use.

Marijuana can be detected by a drug test for 21 days after the last time it is used, for daily users it can be detected longer than 21 days.

Someone who has consumed marijuana legally in their home country can be tested in Thailand two weeks after leaving their home country and test positive for marijuana use.

Is there anything in place to protect these people while in Thailand?

I ask since I do have friends in this situation who want to visit here and are hesitant to take this risk.

Recently, ( December 2014) marijuana laws have been relaxed in every state in the US and it is not just Californians this is an issue for any more.

Just having any illegal substances (THC in case of marijuana) in your blood is against the law in thailand.

The simple truth is that the most of all these searches were without any result. Some officers probably made a small fortune in the last months. And it would go on harassments wouldn't make it to public media that quickly....

Don't forget the trainloads of plastic rubbish they buy for monks to receive blessings they need for 'good luck', and the huge pollution caused once a year by kratongs carrying plastic flowers and shit that end up in all the rivers.

A true Buddhist does not pollute the earth.

Our condo on the chaopraya river provides krathongs for all residents but it's made of coconut shells, leaves and flowers. I did notice a few staples being used to hold it together, no plastic though.

I am also confused. I only know that these kratongs are made of some kind of wooden plate and wrapped with real leafes and real flowers, this is at least how we buy it for years. You also can buy so kind of bread kratongs which turns into fish food...

And people are saying we did not need a coup..... Seems the military is the only one who can keep the police in check.

But executing wrong and stupid laws instead of making a framework of laws that make sense isn't the big step ahead.

Gambling will always exist so make laws for legal gambling. I fail to see the big leap forward if some corrupt Thais that own casinos at the border to Cambodia (Police and Military people) make the profit with gambling and not paying any tax instead of some corrupt Thais in Bangkok. No change beside bigger CO2 footprint.

Legalize casinos and than public tell that after a grace period of 3 month there will be a crack down on the illegal casinos with real punishment (not inactive post) would be the right thing to do.

If they really do elections 2016 than we can tell 2019 that the coup was complete pointless because nothing really changed (non of the changes are visible anymore).

Some one told me they banned pin ball machines here long back because the Thais where addicted to them. Can you imagine a casino. If they did have a casino i think they should have minimum 50 baht chips so the young poor and vulnerable people would not afford to get hooked. Plus some serious vetting for entry.

I have to agree. Even ifngambling is forbidden still this country and culture is connected to gambling in so many ways. If they really open casinos in bangkok we will probably see a highly increasing of poverty and suicides. And no high speed train can fix this.

18mio for fake shirts and bags? i guess they mean the price if these items were genuine.

I think what is legal or not legal doesn't count for NCPO anymore...

So you hav to welcome someone ven if you dont like him?

war veterans? Which wars?!

I think the country is very near of economic sanctions of western countries...

He have not seen his face because the robber worn a helmet but he think it was a "farang" because he spoke english?!

What a nonsense article. " Abhisit Vejjajiva and his family" Are the assets in the article all include with family members or just Abhisit? And who is exaclty the family? mother, father, sisters, children, uncles.... Yingluck has really 600mio assets only on her own?!

I think this country can only uproot out its political instability if it is not only govern by the upper 1% ..!!

So a family of four rent a car to visit Khao Yai. They get stiffed for 3000 baht for a clapped out Toyota, 1200 baht for park entrance, up to five times for food in the restaurants compared to stalls outside, fail to see the same exquisite waterfall that Leonardo DiCaprio threw himself off in The Beach as it's the wrong time of the year, get turned back from the Prachinburi gate as it now closes at six pm and everybody has pissed off, and to add insult to injury the car gets sat on by an amorous elephant.

Welcome to Thailand!

Dont forget that they still can enjoy the view of trags bags and styropor food containers around the park roads which had been thrown away by the locals...!!

Additionally, Suwan predicted the increase would not affect the number of tourists who visit the park as fewer than 100 foreigners visited the park last year.

So where is the sense to charge more to foreigners if there are not many anyway? I would feel so stupid if I see a group of 10 thai in front of me of the ticket counter and they pay 400 baht and you come alone and pay 400 baht....

My only explaination is that they "DONT" want foreigners.

Did anyone interupted an interview? US called off themselves...

Yes come one...just say it.... ban LINE...ban E-Mail, ban Facebook....

If you want a change then just do normal police work and arrest people and charge them or put them in jail and don't just shake them out a few hundred baht and let them go without any consequences....

How naive those teens are to still go to that place. A small island and already a dozen of murdered or dead tourists in the last 18 months. How the hell you still can go there...