Scotsman5

What a stupid response from the NRA. They try to lay the blame on the authorities for leaving children undefended in schools !!!! Come on guys what is your response to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, 15 dead. They had armed guards. So taking it to the NRA logical conclusion if a school is threatened with a nuk these guys will say the schools should have nuks in plac eto protect them.

No wonder the USA is not loved, but they cannot see it.

I for one will never visit India whilst this disgraceful treatment of women continues. We are all human beings and should be treated equally. Indian Authorities take note I hope and urge all potential tourists to boycott your country.

ILR stands for Indefinite Leave to Remain and so is indefinite.

However, it will lapse if the holder spends a continuous period of two years or more out of the UK. In addition, if an immigration officer at a port of entry can show that an ILR holder doesn't actually live in the UK but is using their ILR just for visits then that person's ILR will be canceled, although they will be allowed in as a visitor on that occasion.

ILR will be canceled if it was obtained fraudulently and may be canceled if the holder is convicted of a serious criminal offence which results in a custodial sentence.

British citizenship, once granted, cannot lapse, no matter how long the holder spends outside the UK, and can only be removed if the holder is convicted of a very serious offence such as terrorism, and even then it wont be removed if the person would be rendered stateless by it's removal.

A very informative discussion. Now that I know what ILR stands for can someone enlighten me as to what FLR stands for.

A tragic story. No one deserves an end like that.

This is the last thing the country and its tourist industry needs. I sometimes think the terrorists best weapon is to leak information, whether true or false, in the full knowledge that the USA will take note and issue the appropriate warnings.

Thankyou for a thought provoking article.

Yes would welcome more Baht to the £ or $ but all it would do is push up prices. Learn from the West's mistakes.

Lovely Calendar only problem is I seem to have the 2011 calendar. Have I done something wrong? Oops must have drunk too much Cragganmore. I had forgotten I had the 2011 edition stored on my PC.

"All Singaporeans in Bangkok were ordered to evacuate to higher ground or areas that will be safe from the ravaging floods"

so folks the 64 million baht question is:

what areas will be safe from the ravaging floods?????????

The Golden Mount is going to be a bit crowded!

Could I lend my support to this balanced response as it is the first level headed and sensible input I have seen regarding this incident. It would also appear from the detail provided that the correspondent is not only well informed but on good terms with the UK nationals involved. I cannot, however, comment on the standing of the Mr Davies and his associates and as to whether they did indeed undertake due d iligence prior to setting up this operation. If they did it would appear they were badly misinformed and lets face it guys not paying your taxes is a far bigger crime and you should pay (no pun intended) for this.

May I also take this opportunity to ask everyone reading this to spare a thought for the true victims, i.e. the performers (not just those unfortunate to be on duty at the time of the raid) and their families who are the ones who will suffer the most. Indeed I would say the girls should be congratulated for making the decision to remain in Korat, continue their studies, support their families and resist the temptation to follow many of their generation to the supposedly easier money to be made in the riskier and dubious occupations to be found in the entertainment districts further south.

An added advantage to their being employed by Mr Davies and his associates was that they were, in particular on the day-time chat show and when not figh ting boredom, provided with golden opportunities to improve their English which, to the best of my knowledge, was an important part of their studies.

Yes, I was, as a lover of Thailand, a caller (to the day shows I hasten to add) and enjoyed the non-suggestive chats and laughs I had with the girls.

So to conclude may I appeal through this forum (or if anyone knows to whom I can make a direct appeal please post it here) to those in authority to show leniency towards those unfortunate performers to be caught in the raid. They, and their families, have suffered enough.

Finally, to all the girls and shemales on Asian Connections/Babes best wishes for the future. I hope that everything works out for you and thanks to ThaiVisa Forum for providing me with this opportunity to make publ ic my support for the performers involved and my feelings on this unfortun ate incident."

Whether these people are in the right or in the wrong, I will say that the reporting and facts behind this case are wildly inaccurate.

1. This was not an internet porn service, it is a British satalite Television show properly licensed by UK government - hence the heavyweight broadcasting equipment.

2. For 16 hours of each day, two Thai lady's would invite British Television viewers to call and chat to them, a 100% non sexual service. Most of this service was encouraging Brits to vacation in Thailand. Yes the performers would try and use this to find sponsors, but any conversation of a sexual nature was strictly prohibited.

3. For 8 hours of the day (21:00 - 05:00 UK Time), the lady's/ladyboys would strip to their underwear, and encourage the more adventurous caller to have conversations of an 'cheeky' nature.

4. The performers were paid between bhat 1000/1500 + bonus for an 8 hour shift, with breaks. They were provided FREE good quality accommodation if they required it.

5. There were also well paid backroom Thai employees for set construction, production, cleaning etc - now also without jobs.

5. Many of the performers are university students, and educated people NOT prostitutes (as reported in some accounts). They had to speak GOOD English, and used the job to improve their conversational English.

6. Nobody made bhat 100,000 per day - this is an invention of the press. In actuality the business was only just profitable, most of the income going on wages and costs of getting the signal back to the UK for broadcasting.

7. Not ONE SINGLE performer was being abused. Indeed it was always considered a win, if a performer could be recruited away from an establishment where abuse and lack of personal safety were an issue - you know the kind of places I mean.

For those of you not acquainted with the UK satalite Television market, there are around 20 stations of this nature, broadcasting from all four corners of the globe.

The press wrote the story based on 'The Bust' and not on the subsequent police investigation, It is unfortunate that two of the performers tested positive for drug use, but it is impossible for any employer to guarantee his staff are drug free. It is also unfortunate for those involved that the 'Thai Police' did not understand what was going on (and why would they unless they had experienced British satalite TV), and left with the only option that it was an internet porn service.

I know for a fact that these guys had done a significant amount of due diligence concerning the legality of this operation, they love Thailand (especially Korat) and its people & culture, and were pleased that they were contributing to Thailand's economy. I know that if they believed they needed any permits, permissions, or licences they would have obtained them.

I wish them the best of luck in finding a resolution, and seeing them back on UK television soon.

TS

Everyone knows Welsh sheep are still radioactive 555555

In view of the fact that the main suspect in this case is Welsh, I am concerned no sheep were harmed in the making of his movies.

Are you the only person on this forum that has a sense of humour? Not from the "UK" but Well said

I agree Baht 1500 is a bloody good living for these girls and I feel sorry for them as their living has been snatched from them. Far better that they put up with the suggestive, rude and downright filthy remarks of callers than working the bars.(are there any in Korat) Shame that the Welsh/English bosses were so greedy. If they had paid their taxes and any other necessary costs nothing would have been said. As for acting on a tip-off, come on how long has this been known about?

You lot are a sad bunch. You all cry for justice, but are ready to pass your own judgement on this girl before she has been properly convicted.

And before you all get on your high horses about me defending her, I'm not..I'm quite happy for a court to decide whether she is guilty or not after reviewing all the facts and evidence (and not from reading newspaper reports like the wannabe judges on this forum)

Listen to yourselves almost baying for blood.. "lock her up, throw away the key" you say.. thank god you are not part of the legal system in any country.

This whole thing is a tradgedy.. for all involved.

totster

I agree we should hear all the evidence first.