LBD1

A few years ago there was a story about a bar owner in Phuket who was arrested for sitting on the customer side of the bar and talking to customers. He was charged with working without a permit on the basis that he was actively "marketing" the bar while sitting and talking to customers. He was deported and lost everything.

It would seem that the laws are such that if you get on anyone's shit list anywhere, they can "tip off" authorities and have you busted and deported for essentially doing nothing. Perhaps someone wants your bar or guesthouse; perhaps your wife wants you gone; perhaps you didn't pay the local police enough... whatever. The fact is, there is NO protection under the law in Thailand. It doesn't matter if you have family here that you are supporting, that you are paying taxes here, hiring and paying Thai's an actual living wage, building a successful business, etc. Nothing matters; there is simply no protection under the law.

This man may have gotten on a black list for one or more very undesirable things--we cannot know. But what we can see and know is that the same thing could happen to most any of us if anyone had it out for us for any reason: an unhappy neighbor, envy, jealousy, an unhappy employee who was actually expected to work, etc. It is one of many things that make it difficult for me to be optimistic about Thailand's future.

Mate, if you have a valid work permit - no problem, the same as in any other (your) country. Don't slag this place off because you don't want to comply with the requirements.

Fix the vehicles, check the vehicles regularly, train the drivers, don't employ meth heads as drivers, drug test drivers - this is easy stuff, but easier to blame the roads! Pathetic.

On the Pattaya One link they show pictures - one of a car windscreen with 5 bullets holes in it Now is this related to this story?? Is this the result of the mental sick fake ladycop, married to the real cop who attacked the showroom during the press conference

Holy moley....I can't wait to see how this turns out.

A strange way to go...

But why would the husband even make a comment of filing charges against the owners of the crocodile farm, they would not be liable for anything if she intentionally put herself in harms way and knowing this why would the owners make a "settlement" offer in the first place ?

Because TIT and that is the norm. Everyone has their hand out - just not in this case. RIP poor soul. Hope the husband gets his answer.

Bangkok's idea of beautifying it's city to tourists as you come in from the airport - being hit with visual pollution like no other city in the world, and you can bet most are illegal in either location, structure or town planning (and that's a joke!).

Have you driven into Manila from the airport?

No,is it same same ?

Try every highway from every airport in China and India. Are they legal - probably not, are they safe - probably not.

I am sure the customs and police are questioning the mule and will be pursuing leads regarding the destination of the drugs and expect him to reveal local dealers' names.

OTOH maybe not.

I am so tired of reading / hearing more that 3 times a week of either this Iranian man / woman, or Nigerian man / woman etc.. being arrested with Millions of Thai Baht worth of drugs... !! Give me a break ..! This is all BS to show that the Thai Officials are really cracking down on drugs in a decent way ... I mean c'mon ... are so many people so stupid to keep going through Suvarnabhumi with Such Huge Kilos of Drugs worth millions every 2nd or 3rd day ?? ... It's a farce !! And in any case as everything else you will never hear a word about this again from now on as for every other busted drug passenger at Suvarnabhumi... was he convicted...?? You'll never know ..?? What happened to the 14 million Baht worth of Ice ...?? you will never know ... !! ... It's all fiction to me and media forged propaganda to make the Thai Authorities look good...

Interesting angle. Are you suggesting the Customs guys are hiring actors to pose as "drug smugglers" and then after the photo op they are released? What's in the plastic bags? Pancake Mix?

When was the last time you heard of iranian, Kenyan drug mule sentenced to death for drug smuggling?

Ratcatcher - I gotta say the conspiracy theory is just sooo doable and believable here in Thailand that it's hard to refute this possibility. The lack of accountability and high degree of evasiviness of truth promotes skepticism to seep into every theory. I like your train of thought.

F'n Cowboys........heads we shoot it, tails we go back to playing cards.

Nobody wants their department to 1. break the news: and 2. be responsible, for heaven help, any form of accountability by anyone.

We inevitably get drawn into these circular arguments of who, what, when and where to the point where everyone gets worn out and just accepts "there is no explanation". Everyboby is in charge, but no-one is responsible.

T.I.T. - "Let's just bury our heads in the sand and hope it goes away".

Condolences to all the victims and apologies to their loved ones.

When I read comments on TV I am really ashamed to be part of the Farang community.

If you think there is no corruption in your own country you are seriously mistaken, the difference is : here they say they will share the 300k thb.

Makes me wonder why all posters who are so full of hate over this country are still living here ..... wait wait, I know, because of cheap beers and girls wich makes up for all the atrocities you claim the Thais to do....

Before talking about flaws of Thailand you should really look back at your country and its flaws.

Agree, Thaivisa.com is full of too many experts and cynics - I wish the whingers would just go home.

No doubt that 300,000 reward money will again be divided up by the police but who cares if in fact they did get the the lowlifes that did it. But you never know, they may have just grabbed some patsies to look good for island tourism.

I wonder if they next will arrest the guy at the bar who told these two chumps "if you kill that woman I'll give you $10".

<deleted>??? who turned your rock over??

RIP and condolences to the family.

I'm really not sure how much more of a shake up Phuket needs before they take all the thuggery, scams, bullying, sensless road carnage and now murder seriously.

As there doesn't seem to be any punishments to fit the crimes, these pond scum are surfacing more frequently and more brazenly flouting their reign of lawless terror on innocent residents and tourists.

Let's hope that people do not resort to taking the law into their own hands or all hell will break loose.

Phuket need the tourism to survive, but the condiderable sums of money will go elsewhere if we can not guarantee safety.

Looks like a scam

Sounds like a scam

Smells like a scam

What the hell, lets give him the benefit of doubt and send him all the bail money :jap:

There are so many wonderful insights provided by the responders here. Obviously many have nothing better to do than theorise and provide unfounded conjecture as to what may, or may not have happened - then leap into digressive speculation about what they may, or may not know about the national habits of people from a country they have only heard about.

Get a life.

Foreign scammers will get the chop - what about local scammers (jetski Joe and his gang and the tuk-tuk pack)?

Must be erection time.

OMG - who just woke the PM up?? Best he go back to sleep so we can go get our pocket money for the weekend.

Thanks CroBiker, much appreciated. That site has more information than any other.

Yes, it is.

Organized by XXL Bike Shop, Phuket.

Additional information

Does anyone know any details about the Southern Big Bike Charity?

Is this the same as the show happenig at Sapan Hin, Phuket on 17th and 18th Dec?

Hi Y'all,

I know that there is something happening in Phuket at Sapan Hin 17th and 18th called Big Bike Show? or similar. There was a small snippet in the Gazette last week, but nothing since.

If anyone knows please let us all know.

Finding information at the moment is not real easy. Maybe things will come together after the first. There has to be a bike week every weekend unless something really changed from the past, Good idea when we get a bit more to work with