hardy1943

I just flew in with AirAsia CIE-BKK and spend 4 1/2 hours there and checked out every floor

and nook and cranny ,they may have some problem with the runway some where, I found it

one of the beautiful and convienient airports I have ever visit and it was not crowed it was

beautiful and well organised and I picked up my daughter which came from the US

and she said custom great and effient. It was like a breath of fresh air getting away from that

dingy Don Muang which I absolutly hated.Like every new airport it has is problem but they will

ironed out in a few month.All I can tell you I was pleasantly surprised.

Does anyone know when this change will happen?

I suggest all European and Russian flights go to the new one and flights from the Asian pacific areas go to the old one.

Strongly agree with this....

I only agree to 1/2 of this.... since I lived under the Russian occupied East Germany let the RUSSIAN

land in the gulf of Thailand............LOL

This is absolutly kicking my butt....I have a baht 4,000,000 payment to make in mid April, and I am stuck in USA dollars here at home.

Just last night I was explaining to my Thai wife, how a single 1 baht difference in exchanging dollars for baht meant almost $3000 differerence in what we were paying....

Yes I will complete my puchase, but when we signed the agreement the baht was at 38. ###### who would have thunk????

I agree with you, I'm in the same position. I just stuck my euro in my bank account until things will go better. It's not a USD problem, it affects all currencies. I opened a thai baht account in my bank just to save some money, I will keep euro until baht is back to normal.

Joe

Absolutely right, it affects all, US Dollar, Euro, Pound and a real nose dive is the YEN

As the interview was given to cnn ...will thailand stop talking to the US as well ????

I better go and watch CNN I got the pirated satellite from the Philippines and nothing is blocked out there.

Another dumb move.

We all know the old saying

"Their is a right way and a wrong way and a MILITARY WAY

That rhetoric sure sounds like a military government to me. Could we be looking at another Burma? I have said in other posts that this is the first time in all the years I have lived here that I have been worried. The military throws out the constitution and deposes the democratically elected leader. I for one do not take this lightly.

Hmm, as much as I was in favor of getting rid of Toxin, the current admin is certainly out to stiffle any press that might be negative... hmmm, good point.

Another Burma? There is already one in the West. The people voted for a certain person, yet another person took the thrown. Oh, and the Patriot Act disallows people to talk bad about the government. :D

And the call Bush,Rumsfeld and Cheney "Great Americans" So much for FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!

So what name will be used for DM?

Bangkok National Airport

Bangkok Occasional Airport

BKK Classic

I can't believe it's still an Airport

New Bangkok International Old Domestic ...er... I give up.

What will they dream of next.One has to live here to beleive all of this BS.No one else would beleive it.

It seems to me that there are very few if any role models. Thai TV (as bad as US TV) promotes all of the wrong things... sex, violence, sexism, racism and skin color prejudice.

Some US TV Channels are really bad but you also have very many educational channels which are unbiased and

very good, the choice is up to the viewer, and of course most countries carry the JERRY SPRINGER SHOW

as an example of US TV which is not their normal programs. Having said that.

I have noticed on Thai TV the advertising of whitening cream which I find ridiculous and the black out if someone

smokes, but it is okay to punch your wife in the mouth and knock her teeth out that is not blacked out. CRAZY

What they should do give everyone 25 years in a Thai prison with out early release

mabe that would make the next guys think twice of doing it.

Gongratulation to the policemen for not taking a bribe.

I have CSLOX iPSTAR Satellite DO NOT EVER GET THAT is only works 10% of the time , no service

the never answer their phone.THEY Charge me 2,700 a month.I am stuck on a 1 YEAR CONTRACT,

they sold me some thing that does not work.They are corrupt and crude and rude besides that.

I have TOT Satellite right next to theirs which is 2 times faster and works 99% at the time.

So right now I an paying for 2, both 2,700 Baht a month.

FOR ANYONE OUT THERE DO NOT GET CSLOX INFO IT ABSELUTLY SUCKS.

Suvarnabhumi Airport at least works most of the time and workmanship may not be the greatest.

I have CSLOX INFO SATILLITE and it only works 10% of the time and they charge me 2700 a month

and if you call them no one ever even answers the phone they are really CORRUPT and are Thieves

with no service at all and a product that does not work. On the other hand I found most small contractors very honest and reasonable and some very good.

C’mon, is Homer Simpson running the BOT??? How stupid can they get? Yeah, sure I want to invest into Thailand and lock up 30% of my money for 1 year. At least someone caught on tonight and basically reversed the stupid decision.

They only managed to cause about 23 billion baht worth of market loss value – great job!

Tompa

COME ON GUYS IS ANY REALLY SURPRIZED ? Just another day in the land of MAI BIN RAI

We've had quite a bit of heavy rain today in Phuket!

Blue skies and sunshine up here

Blue skies and sunshine up here in Chiang Rai also

From 1980-- 1996 the Baht was 25 to the US Dollar

1948 -- 1980 the Baht was 20 to the US Dollar

The US Dollar has been overvalued for many years and the lower US Dollar makes

the US more competitive in the global market. We Americans living in foreign countries feel the pinch. People living in the US could not care less.

now that's the stupidest post i've read here yet, advertising has nothing to do with drink driving, perhaps a sponsored campain and some advertising from the drink companies about drinking and driving might be the way to go, I don't think any manufacturing ccompany in the world would support driving while drunk, seperate issues, you think everyone will stop drinking because there are no adds......are you for real.

All of those restriction are a pipe dream and a joke and actually increased consumption.

When America had their Prohibition in the 20's alcohol consumption increased by about 20%

THAT IS A FACT

The survey results seem to me highly accurate in reflecting the situation in Isan. Gaz apparently sees something different in Chaingmai. Do the same survey in Bangkok and you'll see something different. Here in Isan, it's women with a child from a broken relationship with a Thai man, grabbing an older farang husband. The husband provides security for her and her child and her parents. The Isan lady provides comfort and care and excitement for the man. You take care of me and I take care of you. Many farang men are in this position. I know - I am one.

I see no inaccuracy in this survey. So many ladies in Isan have given up on an Isan husband because he is lazy and drunk. So how does she feed the baby? She wants a farang. Feed her, feed her baby, feed her parents, and you can keep her forever. No feminism in this village. Take a survey at Soi Cowboy, or Nana Plaza, or Patpong.

Gaz thinks the survey is biased because most of the wives interviewed do not have a high school education. Gaz, darned near nobody in Isan has a high school education. Most people here only stay in school as long as the government requires them to. As soon as they can get out, they go to work in the field or in a Bangkok factory. That's not study bias, that's culture bias.

The same thing applies to Chiang Rai province. I know- I am one also

However, the cross-cultural marriage weakened the children's language skills as parents spoke to them in a mix of Thai and English, which confused the kids and made them less fluent in the Thai language, she said.

The findings are generally a little sad. But, the above quote is highly questionable. It's a fact that young children don't have a problem with learning not two but even more languages similtaneously. Those of you who live in a bilingual society will be able to understand.

Mainland European's are routinely able to speak multiple languages. Children are sponges and will learn whatever languages are spoken around them. Even if the English speaker is not speaking technically correct the children will learn English much better than most Thais simply by virtue of being exposed to it at a formative age.

Many children move to America and not knowing any English and start school at the age of 14

like I did . I am complete BILINGUAL and it was never confusing just a great asset and now I am teaching my daughters English and they speak it better then their Thai English teacher.

How is it getting harder to transfer the money?

We as US citizens have to have US Bank accounts and a US address for our pension

or social security to be automatic deposit in our accounts. We then withdraw the money

with our ATM cards. Some US banks have stopped ATM withdrawals in most countries included Thailand. I have 3 US Bank accounts and I can shift money from one to the other, but I can not

transfer them into my Thai bank accounts. There is no agreement between Thailand and the US.

Also because of Bushes Homeland Security Act everyone is a terrorist suspect so one bank has cut my daily withdrawal limit just 6 month ago from $1000 a day to $200.

IF SOMEONE KNOW A BETTER WAY TO TRANSFER MONEY PLEASE LET ME KNOW

Times are getting hard for US citizens getting the $$$ transferred across from the states....

You are right, but it is because of Bush and his incompetence and his lies and getting

the Patriot Act passed and everyone is a terrorist suspect. Let hope the newly elected

Democratic Congress will repeal some of ridiculous and unconstitutional laws.

Times are getting hard for US citizens getting the $$$ transferred across from the states....

Yep and good for people with Baht

Lets face it even if the Baht goes to 35 per Dollar. Thailand still is a beautiful

and inexpensive place to live. We which are from the US were getting spoiled 1$ =40+ Baht.

Under the Clinton administration in the 90's and the US was healthy and running a surplus

the Baht was around 35. Let not complain so much we are living in a wonderful country

and let enjoy to live in the land of SMILES

It should say that the dollar has weakened to its lowest level in 8 years, as the dollar decreases against all major currencies.

The baht itself has decreased against euro this month...

Correct, Dollar has been very strong against the Yen the last 6 month , matter of fact

Dollar = 119-120 Yen is the highest in 5 years or more.So if you are Japanese and retired in Thailand you get about 30% less for your Yen in Baht then you did 2 years ago.We all remember when the

EURO = 50+ BAHT and right this minute it is EURO= 46.9

I should have added it the Baht that so much stronger against the major currencies.

Which will in return make it it much harder for Thailand to export their products.

It should say that the dollar has weakened to its lowest level in 8 years, as the dollar decreases against all major currencies.

The baht itself has decreased against euro this month...

Correct, Dollar has been very strong against the Yen the last 6 month , matter of fact

Dollar = 119-120 Yen is the highest in 5 years or more.So if you are Japanese and retired in Thailand you get about 30% less for your Yen in Baht then you did 2 years ago.We all remember when the

EURO = 50+ BAHT and right this minute it is EURO= 46.9

And add to that the increasing confusion over what exactly "sufficiency economy" means, and military officers sitting now on boards of state enterprises without having any background in business.

Does anybody have any clear idea how the economy is doing now in Thailand?

I do not think anyone knows. The same people stated 2 weeks ago because of the

tremendous increase in foreign investments that is why the Baht is so strong. Now this !!!

Thailand will get further behind because they are scared of anyone investing in their country.

In Vietnam Intel is just a start and one will see them surpass Thailand very soon because of their

open foreign policy and their willingness to expand their infrastructure.

We like the STATUS QUO here.

According to the Asian Development Bank:

Inflationary pressure is expected to ebb. The moderate tightening of monetary policy should slow consumer spending, which could also be affected by political uncertainty. In addition, the Ministry of Commerce enforced stringent price controls on a range of consumer goods in early 2006. Oil prices are projected to rise more moderately. In view of these factors, the inflation rate for 2006 is forecast at 4.0%, decelerating further to about 3.0% in 2007 (Figure 2.28.9).

Economic forecasts are obviously never all that accurate, whether in Thailand or UK or USA and, depending on who's doing the predicting, there is likely to be a political component in the calculations.

One thing that is predictable with almost 100% accuracy is that no matter what a Thai official says, the Carry-On-Farang Troupe will start foaming at the mouth declaring they know better based on ... based on...golly what would it be that their supreme certainty could be based on? Maybe Divine intervention?? It's hard to believe they kept some price records on the whole range of things which go into the THAI consumer index (as opposed to farang liquor and condom purchases). I guess when your white, you just know better about everything.

We are not perfect, but we certainly have better economists and know how to run our banking

and our financial institutions much more efficient. How many Thais or any other economist from South East Asian have ever won the Nobel Prize in Economics. None.

Last weeks statement that the Baht was so strong because of foreign investment in Thailand

BULLSHIT

Then the statement " Baht Won't Strengthen Until Economy Is Affected" is Bullshit also. The Baht

it is the highest against the US Dollar and the Japanese Yen in in Years.

Both happened to be the biggest economies in the world.

The Baht is in Chinese Yuan Basket of currencies and anyone that has BLoomberg can watch on a daily basis if the Yuan strengthens so does the Bath.The Yuan is still under valued so expect

bath to strengthen to 1 US Dollar = 35 Bath. It really has nothing to do with the Thai economy.

So when you buy the Bangkok Post take out the Economy section and wrap your fish with it ,

that is about the only thing it is good for