hardy1943

The teller became suspicious and called police, who arrested Mr Pritchard.

Maybe the teller/police made a mistake by not knowing the difference between the old an new banknotes?

That could be possible!

Four years ago, I came back from Belgium with a brand new biometric passport.

Nobody at Don Muang immigration ever seen this kind of "book" before.

I had to to stay in the interrogation room until my embassy opened, for a verbal confirmation...

Hopefully that I did not land during a weekend!

Lucky you,

could have thrown the key away and forgot about you

if he is innocent, he can use that money if he would wonder off with an item to show his wife / girlfriend beyond the hidden border of the King Power at Suvi airport

I saw a Monk trying to cash 3 $100 fake bills at Siam Commercial in Chiang Rai the branch right

by the Big C. They just gave them back to him with a big smile. I could not believe my I eyes

and told my Thai wife in America one can spend some serious time in a Fed Pen. for that.

She told me welcome to Thailand. I thought they at least should have kept them and not returned them.

this is definitely not the LOS I remember when I first arrived 6 years ago

Get used to see more chances, as the foreigner gets smarter, and looks beyond the thai smile.

Cheers

I drink to that

While he's at it he should require the sourpuss immigration staff to go through some retraining on customer service. For the "land of smiles" having your first and last impression being these disgruntled Thais at immigration isn't helping tourism. In general the Thai immigration staff I've encounter at BKK are the rudest and most unhappy people I've encountered in any country--- and compared to many other Thais they make a pretty good salary.. Perhaps they can install one of those "how am I doing" systems like they did in Beijing … because I was very impressed by the wonderful immigration staff in China.

You are right, first time I came here in 2003 it was all smiles and Airport staff was extremely helpful to

to recover my lost luggage. All one had to do look around and someone would come and : can I help you?

Settled here in 2004 and have the greatest wife and Thai family and with a couple great policemen included.

Have witnessed the decline every year at BKK. My last experience was like a bad nightmare 2 month ago

coming back from Macau. Posted it here and was warned because of my strong language. My experience at

Macau, Hanoi, Penang, Hong Kong and Jakarta with Immigration was very pleasant, dreaded to come back to

BKK each time. My daughter from the US planning to come here in January, really do not want her to

go thru the hassle I did. Should tell her to stay there.

However I live in Chiang Rai my Immigration officers in Mae Sai are as courteous and helpful as can be.

It is, of course, awful how this airport has been treating foreign tourists who are after all the backbone of the Thai economy and without whom Thailand would more closely resemble Cambodia than the modern country it is today. However, coming from an area of my own country that is very touristy and overtaken by tourists in high season many of whom decide to stay permanently, just like in Thailand, I can sympathise to a certain extent as we here also hate tourists even though they are the backbone of our economy here too.

I here a lot on this forum and others about bribery and corruption, the allegations often being made by Americans. I find this rather strange since a bribe is a pre-service tip, or put another way, a tip is a post-service bribe. In the US, you have to pay this post-service bribe to all and sundry. Americans say this is because the post-service bribe makes up most of the servers' etc salary since they are poorly-paid. They are paid a million times better than Third-World employees. Therefore, no wonder the latter prefer a pre-service tip.

These comments in no way justify the events at Subarnabhumi, but is a case of maybe you should put your own house in order first.

I do not know where you come from, I was born in Germany, immigrated to America in the 1957

we all did farm work before we learned the language while we where going to school. We ended up now many

years later because of honest work with 3 rocket science professors 4 teachers and 2 engineers.

I have lived in 6 different countries, some much poorer then here. All I can tell you that you do not have the slightest idea what you talking about.

Am I the only one that sees that after these things happen time and time again that Thailand just isn't ready to run with the big dogs yet? They are still a second world developing country trying to take matters that are too big into their hands. It screaming out of everything from education to medicine, tourism and politics. None of this surprises me.

Does not surprise me either but things seem to get worse every year and

how about a 3rd rate Banana Country.

Does anyone think the profiteers are trembling in fear..................

Reminds me of a eunuch trying to act like Don Cassanova.

Exactly, without CNN and public media nothing would have been said.

Now it is all talk . Where is the action? Why are the predators not charge yet and arrested?

I have a long-stay/retirement visa that expires in September 2009. In April when I returned through BKK, I was given a stamp until April 2010. In other words, far past the expiration date of my visa. I figured this was a mistake until I returned from a trip abroad last week, and got a stamp until August 2010!!! This time, I asked the immigration officer at the airport, and he told me I didnt have to go to renew my visa until August 2010, and that this was a new full service policy. Does this have something to do about the free visa deal? Has this happened to others? What do our resident gurus have to say?

With me the did the opposite and gave me a 30 tourist visa on the same page I had a multiple entry

and had 5 yearly retirement visa O . You figure ...........do not want to mention what I thought about it.

Interesting thread, and full of articulate comments. For me, it's just reiterated the fact that I need to move somewhere else. Thailand (and in my case, Phuket), has been enjoyable, but the atmosphere, attitude, etc, I'm seriously not feeling comfortable anymore.

Not sure about anyone else, but as I love the Asian culture, think I need to move to Malaysia. No, not the 'scene' of Pattaya/Phuket, but at least there is a culture of honesty and respect, that no longer seems to exist anywhere in Thailand any more.

Philippines love to have you. You can own land. After clearance from the government you get an ID card

good for life. No more jumping thru hoops and no report to your parole officer every 90 days.

Seriously they really do encourage it.

So, what is the problem? These Thai farmers just have to go to US or Europe and buy all the land they want, IN THEIR OWN NAME !!!

so what is unfair?

:-)

Every country is begging for foreign investment except here.

What are they scared of ? Someone else may do it right!

Foreigners taking over land in North, claims farmers' group

CHIANG MAI: -- Vast tracts of land in the North are now in the hands of foreigners, mostly through marriages to Thai women, a local farmers' group said yesterday.

Most of the land has been used for hotels and resorts put under the names of their wives, said Samarn Thadthieng, head of a group of farmers based in the Kuang River Basin in Chiang Mai and Lamphun. Plus, he said, there is an estate covering around 100 rai that only foreigners can rent.

He added that a large number of farmers also rented their farms to foreigners, and received payment in the form of rice instead of cash. In addition, he said, foreigners were also benefiting from the government's price-intervention scheme and were being given free rice seeds through other assistance programmes.

"This is dangerous, because these foreigners will turn from renters into beneficiaries exploiting Thai soil, sending remittances overseas and damaging the country's economy," he added.

He said government budgets were now being spent to benefit these foreigners instead of poor farmers, and those who have rented their land on a long-term basis to foreigners, end up encroaching on forests to obtain new land for themselves.

He called on the government and local administrative bodies to look into the matter.

In Chiang Rai, chief of a palm oil cooperative Inkham Namwong claimed that around 70 per cent of farmland and plantation in the province had been rented to foreigners. He said he was waiting for government funds to help set up a new cooperative that would help Thai farmers compete against foreign-owned palm plantations.

-- The Nation 2009-08-12

They can really come up with some fairy tales

I hope he manages to fight the charges and is set free.

Given politics however, who knows how the court case will go.

Do you have any idea what he is accused of? What about the liberties of the thousands he alleged to be responsible for the death of? However I don't see why usa has to continue to be the worlds self appointed police, the UN should really get there finger out and take control.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with selling arms.

If it was, let's drag US, UK, Germany, Russia, China, and a whole lot more countries infront of an international court and convict all the politicians approving it.

Seeing it happen yet?

Fact of the matter is that the case brought up to get him extradited is a bogus one. It's not even on the level of getting Capone for tax-evasion, it is much lower.

They are actually charging him with intent - no deal in writing was ever made, he only agreed to meet and possibly sell - arms to a 'Terrorist group', that was nothing more than American Agents posing as South American representatives of one of the many militias in the region.

So it was an entrapment that never even went into conclusion.

He is a merchant of arms and in a true free world he would be allowed to sell to anyone and any country he wishes.

Please give me someting what you been smoking

Thai A(H1N1) resistant to Tamiflu – Malaysians told to stop wanking

By John Le Fevre

(THAIVISA.COM): -- Thai authorities are urging calm after the first case of pandemic A(H1N1) found resistant to the front-line antiviral drug Tamiflu was found in a patient at Ramathibodi Hospital.

Meanwhile a doctor in Malaysia has said that avoiding masturbation and homosexual activities are among preventive measures people can take to reduce their chances of contracting the virus.

Dr. V. M. Palaniappan, an eminent practitioner of complimentary therapy, said that such activities caused the body to develop friction heat which in turn, produced acid and made the body hyperacidised.

Dr. Palaniappan told Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, that masturbation and homosexual activity made "the body become an easy target for pandemic A(H1N1) infection," however, the normal sexual union between members of the opposite sex was absolutely safe.

OMG - I would hope they'd save this for the April 1 post, but no...

Who is this guy, why is he newsworthy, and just what agenda is he trying to promote?

Gawd...it's good to know that the 1600s are alive and well in Malaysia.

80% what has been quoted on this website lately in my opion should be only quoted on Aprils fools day.

When I joined in 2003 it seemed to be very differrent or maybe the THE BOYS IN BKK have changed that much?

No foreigners found violating law on buying, renting farmland in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Concerned Thai officials will continue monitoring whether foreigners have violated law on buying or renting farmland to engage in agriculture in the kingdom although initial investigation found that such a practice does not exist, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said on Saturday.

Related discussion (Farming in Thailand Forum):

Govt Probes Foreign Money In Paddies, Worse worries than land grab:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Govt-Probes-...

I don't know what surprises me more...Yet another "anti-foreigner" crackdown...Or the fact that they didn't find anyone!

RAZZ

Typical Banana Republic thinking. Go Philippines where foreigner investment and retirement is welcomed.

Other sources said that it looks like they just grabbed him and put him on a plane to Colombo -- no judges, courts, extradition appeals of anything. Conflicting information.

Maybe he had lifted something from KingPower.

now that is possible indeed!

The same guy caught him that stamped a tourist visa on the same page in my passport where

my mutiple entry and my yearly visa was.

border custom checks in australia are much more strict than anywhere in the world, so not sure what he was thinking about his chances not being cought. In thailand airports, unless police is not tipped by the foreign resident custom officers, the risk is much lower, but of cource screaning by the gates is at random

Bkk is known as the main hub in S.E.Asia to get it out. So with greasing a few hands it must be pretty easy,

however the other side is waiting , Australia is a tough place to get it thru and also many Thai and Americans are

sitting in American Federal prison for trying. Have a couple relatives in the US working at LAX and Hawaii

they claim is very common to catch them from BKK.

I agree with the Cigarette Butts / rubbish fine, but do not agree with fining someone for not using the crossing.

I wonder if they will fine the poorer Thai people as well lol....

or maybe is just for us 'richer' farang....

Jeez, what will it be next.. 'excuse me officer, am I allowed to breath'

What will they dream of next ??? We all know it has nothing to do with safety.

TEA MONEY ???

Let's be clear that theft is not a problem limited to Thailand. In all major airports from the US to Australia and from Hong Kong to Europe people get robbed. It is good that the Thai authorities have recognized the problem and seem to work on it. All these negative comments make Suvanabhumi look bad. All frequent travellers know that on all airports worldwide the same problems exists. You get robbed by illegal taxi drivers anywhere, drugs are smuggled by crooked cleaners (who seem to make too little money anyhow, anywhere, luggage get stolen, valuables disappear and scams are in progress. Customs and immigration officers are bought in each and every country too. But as the Germans like to say: By uns zum hause is alles viel besser, which is obviously nonsense.

It would be a good thing to recognize that the airports in the countries where we come from are often less customer friendly and that authorities are surely often rude. I dare to say that Suvanbhumi is much better than stated in this forum.

True, but in the Western everyone seem to have certain right, what bothers me most for us that live here

that have wives, families and houses we are at their mercy to get kick out anytime.

Did anyone notice the comment lower in the Post article that the employee would get fired after he had stolen gear from bags 3 times!!??

Yup three times is the charm and with 200 Baht in your hand you get another 3 tries.

scamming since the opening but they still only give warning for another 2 weeks to scam tourists and start their bad experience right for the start...

i guess it is tea money again... saw those nice man in brown stop motorcycles and other people... about 2 times per month around pay day, strange, isn't it...

If you ever notice the never stop the rich in their fancy car like me.

The poor working smuck is always fair game.

Tried this scam on me at the airport, told them to take the sunglasses off and look at my tan,

been living in Chiang Rai the last 6 years , down came the price.

This will probably put a few people out of work.

The Cabinet has approved new regulations that prohibit karaoke parlours from providing drinking or singing partners to customers, with their business licences being revoked if they do.

THE BOYS at BKK THE BIG BROTHER What will they dream of next.

As the saying goes "A fool and his money are easily parted".

What did these people think? That in the nation that is but a Banana Republic known for cheap blow jobs you could purchase elitism??

Great. I LOVE IT

They were happy to take the 2.5 billion baht, and now they want to close the program. In most civilized countries, the money would be

set aside for just such cases. With all the changes in the policy, why would anyone want to join. The correct thing to do would be to give

back the 2.5 billion baht to the thousand or so believers, who were willing to put up that kind of money. No benefits equals the right to a

refund, right? More than likely, the Thailand Elite CEO pocketed most of the money, and it is nowhere to be found. Just another nail in

the Thailand tourism/ex -pet market. They seem to be incredibly creative in finding ways to convince foreigners not to come to Thailand.

Most likely they pocketed the money. " Elite " reminds me of people that can draw the last drop of blood

out of everyone especially the poor. Well not all but I personally know a few.

i agree with groucho marx:

i would never join a club that would have someone like me

for a member

I agree these are the rich and greedy, to bad they did not get more to take their money.

Feel Sorry for them HE-LL NO

For an extension based on emplyment I need a minimum salary of 50,000 baht a month right? Is there a way around this or other solution?

It would depend on the kind of employment. The minimum incoem of 50,000 baht is for working with a company. For some jobs, like artists, members of the media and teachers there is no minimum income requirement.

Note that the income requirement is also only when you apply for an extension of stay from immigration, it is not required to get a work permit. Some people stay in Thailand with a multiple non-B visa for this reason and simply leave and re-enter Thailand every 90 days, as they don't make 50,000 a month.

Here it depents who one deals with, Mae Sai never have any problem, been here 5 years now and have yearly non immigtration o retirement visas and every year I get a multiable entry, well consistently

when I go and leave the country in BKK on my return they............. stamps in a 30 day tourist visa,

thank God they where trips to Macau and I was not to tired and so in BKK I want to speak to your boss

and your boss and your boss, to get it straighten out. They almost get to know me there. So when it comes to immigration do not take anything for granted. I am happily married to a Thai have a beautiful house on 2 rai and want to spend the rest of my life here. Just because some ........... at BKK I do not want loose my yearly status and jump thru all the hoops again. So be careful and do not take anything for granted. I want to repeat in Mae Sai I have the highest regard for the immigatiom officers. BKK ...... do not want to say it.