Misterwhisper

That will definitely put a serious dent in the annual turnover figures of Hennessy cognac.

Live as close to your workplace as possible, is my advice, and don't be afraid of "Thai neighbourhoods". They can actually be pretty nice. I have never really understood why "farangs" want to live in Thailand, but shy away from mingling with the locals (unless they're of the 'lady of the night' kind) and instead are so keen on pitching up their tents in "farang ghettos".

I, for example, have rented a lovely bunglaow (fully furnished) for 17,000 Baht a month near Assumption University. Not one "farang" in sight in my neighbourhood. Instead my neighbours are a very friendly customs officer, a lawyer, a company salesman and his family, a cute-looking Thai Airways employee who speaks excellent English, etc.

I would never again move back to over-priced, over-rated Sukhumvit.

The trick for not getting ripped off by tuk-tuks is to avoid them altogether. Since your company was reimbursing you for fares, why didn't you opt for taxis in the first place, I wonder? Small company? ;-)

Apart from that, there is no "standard fare structure" for tuk-tuks. They'll try to squeeze you for as much as they can, and as long as you're comfortable with the quoted fare, then that's that.

Get a metered taxi and save on headache pills.

Perhaps she could get some advice from ASSK what the qualities of a true "beacon of democracy" are and how a true folk hero should act and relay that invaluable info to her big brother.

That definitely must be the creepiest "reenactment" photo of the year! The grin on the suspect's face is just insane, almost "Joker"-like.

I have often doubted the rationale behind those "reenactments". But using a teddy bear as "victim"... come on, seriously!

Now just imagine they had had a clown doll handy...

Just wondering how many other Thai nationals living abroad (and not having a 2-year prison sentence on their back nor having jumped bail, which in itself is another criminal offence) apply at their local embassy for a passport one day and can pick it up the very next day.

This entire issue stinks like rotten fish, to say the least. Everybody has lied through their teeth and if not an alleged foreign ministry official had ratted the story out to the media and the Dems, we all would have been kept in the dark indefinitely. I mean, the man received his passport already 6 WEEKS ago while a mere two weeks ago the Foreign mInister was still waxing about giving him his passport back as a "New Year's gift".

This has all been planned from a long hand and it wasn't anticipated that the truth would come to light so readily.

Bravo, Mr. Surapong! You have just made sure that the so-called "reconciliation" you, your government and your PTP buddies are constantly flogging has moved a few fathoms away. But then again, it never really was about "reconciliation", was it? It was, always has been and always will be just about 1 man.

The headlines turned away from Taksin regaining his passport....... It's just a new stunt in the Shinavatra circus :clap2:

Spot on!

And yet another wishful hub.... yawn

I don't think the train driver should justify his misjudged braking distance.

The selfish drivers trying to inch their way home and ignoring rules of the road are to blame.

I agree with you. But drivers in this country are not only selfish, they are also largely ignorant of traffic rules. That ignorance not only significantly contributes to congestion, but it also is the cause of many avoidable accidents such as this one.

In civilised countries young drivers are taught during long (and expensive!) hours of compulsory traffic rule theory classes that it is against the law to drive onto a railway crossing if 1) traffic ahead has come to a standstill, 2) it can be gleaned that otherwise one would come to a stand on the tracks and 3) when the crossing warning lights go on, the railway employee waves a red flag or the barriers are descending.

Likewise, one never drives onto a road intersection when 1) trafic ahead is already partly blocking that intersection, 2) traffic lights have changed from red to yellow and one can reasonably expect to get stuck on the intersection.

These rules have been set up for a reason, and as far as I know the very same traffic laws also do exist in Thailand. Not that anyone would enforce them... or heed them.

Time to trot out the age old question.

What happened to the blankets and warm clothing that were distributed last year?

Well I can understand the need for clothing it does wear out but it seems like blankets last for years and yet every year they ask for them. If memory serves me rite a few years ago the King or Queen made a huge donation of blankets.

Good old Nation reporting they are in urgent need but don't tell where to give.

I agree with both of you guys. There are tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of blankets, warm jackets and other "winter gear" distributed each and every year. This sort of garb is only worn/used for a few weeks, then presumably put in the closet or stored otherwise as temperatures rise again. But apparently not, because it seems to disappear every time as soon as the cold spell is over. My guess is that it's sold, because the recipients know that they can beg for warm clothing again once the next cold spell comes around. I bought myself a warm coat six years ago and it's still as good as new, because I can't wear it most of the time anyway.

She believes his long political experience will be important in propelling his country forward.

Then the back slapping, continued.

jb1

+1

Would be interesting to know his reply on her political experience.

He believes her short (as in: non-existent) political experience will cause her country to back-track?

That woman should be held accountable for three reasons:

1) She was overly greedy, and only because of that fell for the scam; her own greed superseded her rationality.

2) She was a gullible fool (nothing new in so-called 'business women' and it ties in well with greed).

3) She willingly became an accessory to a potential crime; imagine the money was real, why would it have to be dyed black? Because it was 'hot' money, of course.

Tar and feather her and hang her out to dry.

What is it anyway with some people's obsession to bring that man back at all cost? From any angle I could think of, it would be far more preferable to let the man stay in Dubai if reconciliation is ever to be achieved. As Thaksin himself once said: He would like to be part of reconciliation, but not part of the problem. Though what he hasn't realized is that he IS the problem.

Headlines I would like to read:

"Thai Woman Detained after Farang Boyfriend Jumps Off 7th Floor Of Pattaya Hotel"

I'd love to read that, too - only once! But to be more in line with the headline in the OP, it should read:

"Unbelievable! Thai Woman Detained after Farang Boyfriend Jumps Off 7th Floor of Pattaya Hotel"

Agreed?

The entire story smells fishy:

First Supot reported just 1 million Baht stolen. Then he changed that to 5 million Baht stolen. The theft apparently took place on the very evening Supot and the family attended the daughter's wedding somewhere else, and Supoth claimed the stolen money was the "dowry". Isn't a "dowry supposed to be handed over AT (i.e. DURING) a wedding reception? Why was that supposed "dowry" in the house? The police reportedly confiscated more than 18 million Baht from the thiefs, an amount that already exceeds more than three-fold the sum Supoth claimed was stolen. Meanwhile, the police "believe" that actually around 100 million Baht were taken by the gang, the ringleaders of which still remain at large. The thiefs caught so far insist they had taken about 200 million Baht, and that there was a lot more stashed in the house, which they estimate to be in the region of 700 million to 1 billion Baht. Oh, and not to forget: Supoth claims he had (conveniently...?) switched off the residence's alarm system "for fear of being electrocuted". Why would he be afraid of that if he and the entire family were at the wedding?

Quite mindboggling, huh?

Is it okay if I turn in and exchange for eggs those mountains of garbage strange people continue to dump in my soi in the middle of the night and despite the large sign erected by the BMA that there is a penalty of 2,000 Baht if doing so? Given the sheer amount of garbage I reckon I'll be able to bag quite a few eggs, probably even enough to open an egg wholesale store.

I found even more surprising that practically all convenience stores, mom-and-pop shops and even large supermarkets like Big C and Foodland have completely run out of Coke and Pepsi, Haven't been able to buy large bottles for several weeks, and now they've also run out of cans and small bottles. Oh well, I shall survive!

The sad thing is that these political truth benders believe themselves too and they think Mr. and Mrs Somchai are as silly as they are too.

Went to Suvarnabhumi airport today to pick up a visiting friend. Had the chance to overhear (eavesdrop on) a Thai mother talking to her perhaps 8 or 9-year-old son. He asked whether it's true that ALL airplanes are OWNED by Thai people. Mom explained to him that it was not true, and went on to point out the different airlines and their home countries. The mother was dressed very well, Chinese-looking and obviously rather berated at her son's question. She looked at me a couple of times, but I played it cool and pretended not to understand Thai. I can only guess, but I think she was rather flabbergasted at her son's notion that ALL airplanes are OWNED by Thai people, and she probably wondered where and how he would pick up such misinformation.

Another facet to Thailand, the HUB of misinformation, where information is juggled as it pleases Krusty the Clown. Or Homer Simpson. Or Dubai.

Just hope that the "big bag" affair won't be followed by a "big scumbag" affair where everybody claims trophies for "defending Bangkok". I know my hopes will be in vain.

Has little spoilt son's football field flooded as well? That would be oh soooo regrettable.

What do you expect from people except to know that it's "fai faa" and comes out of a wall? These are the same people who voted politicians in power under the promise that everybody would become rich within 3 years. Neanderthal votes Homo Erectus. These are the same people whose children you expect to use tablet computers sensibly and not only for game playing, the same people whose children (just as themselves) were told that Thais are somehow 'superior' to their neighbours. The same people who now tear down flood gates, because they think it will ease their own burden, which is not the case.

I somehow dislike this sort of sensationalist reporting. Even the opening paragraph irks me:

"Standing waist-deep in brown floodwater outside her Bangkok home, Saisunee Sontana is short of food and getting desperate, while a short drive away air-conditioned restaurants serve well-heeled diners."

It implies that only poor people are inundated and that ALL 'well-heeled' people are high and dry and safe.

The floods do not discriminate between 'well-heeled' and 'less well-heeled' and 'downright poor' people. If your 100-million-Baht villa is located in an inundated Bangkok district, it will be just as much affected as a 'pauper's corrugated iron shed' down the road. Unfortunately, this is what makes the news abroad.

I was recently contacted by a major European news agency to deliver a feature story on 'European vacationers being stranded in Bangkok's nightlife districts because of the flooding of the capital'. I had to decline and it took me several email exchanges to explain that Patpong (or Nana or Soi Cowboy) is/are as of yet NOT flooded, which surprised them a lot. 600 euros down the... uhm... drain, but I cannot lie and make something up for the sake of delivering a sensationalist piece now, can I?

At one time reporting the news meant researching the facts and reporting the truth. However it seems now days stretching the facts and sometimes down right lies are becoming common in reporting if it sales. Sure Nana is not flooded but the area around Bangkok are. You just need to make it sound like they are cut off from the rest of Bangkok and in a horrible predicament and none of the Bar Girls can make it to Nana. I'm sure you could get some ideas from some of the Nation reporters.

Unlike 'other' journalists, I turned down the offer. As you so correctly mention, journalism is not about writing up a fanciful story, but to present researched facts. More and more (international) news agencies rely on freelance contributors (whom they pay a pittance, by the way) to get their stories. That is lamentable. It puts much more expensive journalists like myself (expensive because of the time and money invested) in a weak spot and elevates would-be journalists, who simply step outside their house to "report" on a situation, in favour. The difference in money is substantial. Several hundred dollars for a story by an experienced journalist as compared to $100 or less for the trifle a hobby writer housewife (or backpacker) shells out. Journalists are a dying breed in a world where everybody seems to be everywhere and maintains their own blog. I sometimes wish 'politicians' wuld be a dying breed, but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

I say "you choose the government live with it"

Simple-minded people, for whom 'status', 'face' and 'pretense' counts, choose a simple-minded government.

I remember a private boat tour through Bangkok's 'khlongs' many, many years ago (early 80s). I asked the steerman why a lot of people seemed to live in comparatively poor housing and yet every roof had a TV antenna. He said: "Don't be fooled. Most of them cannot afford a TV set. They buy a second-hand rooftop TV antenna for 100 Baht and put it up, so their neighbours can envy them because they seemingly can afford a TV set., hence their 'status' in the community rises."

Same question when I drove past ugly concrete housing blocks, of which I was aware that they provided single-room apartments at around 1,500 Baht a month (nowadays perhaps more). yet a lot of big cars were parked underneath those stilts on which they invariably would stand. My guide said: "Don't fool yourself. Those people take out loans from loan sharks so they can buy a Mercedes in which they can drive around impressing the ladies. None of them knows the owner lives in a shitty apartment and they would never take them back here. If they wanna ****, they'll take them to a cheap hour-motel."

Pretenses, pretense, face, face. And if I don't like it here because of that, I can go return to my home country, right? That is what I expect to hear from the kneejerk, do-gooder, naive and blind 'foreign residents' who have yet to get rid of their pink glasses. It takes about 10 years to see behind the charade.

I somehow dislike this sort of sensationalist reporting. Even the opening paragraph irks me:

"Standing waist-deep in brown floodwater outside her Bangkok home, Saisunee Sontana is short of food and getting desperate, while a short drive away air-conditioned restaurants serve well-heeled diners."

It implies that only poor people are inundated and that ALL 'well-heeled' people are high and dry and safe.

The floods do not discriminate between 'well-heeled' and 'less well-heeled' and 'downright poor' people. If your 100-million-Baht villa is located in an inundated Bangkok district, it will be just as much affected as a 'pauper's corrugated iron shed' down the road. Unfortunately, this is what makes the news abroad.

I was recently contacted by a major European news agency to deliver a feature story on 'European vacationers being stranded in Bangkok's nightlife districts because of the flooding of the capital'. I had to decline and it took me several email exchanges to explain that Patpong (or Nana or Soi Cowboy) is/are as of yet NOT flooded, which surprised them a lot. 600 euros down the... uhm... drain, but I cannot lie and make something up for the sake of delivering a sensationalist piece now, can I?