PlastikbinLina

Now more the availability of weapons seem to be very high in Thailand.

And they have no hesitation in using them...

And they are greatly encouraged in all the soaps and Thai movies. Even at 'children's viewing times and in a popular daily TV comedy routine with audiences of school children. Violence breeds violence.

Welcome to the land of smiles.

Cynical smiles!

Thanks everyone.

10k a bit too steep for beginners considering that first lessons are not about sound just getting used to actually working with strings.

Someone else said on this blog that buying a cheap guitar will only discourage you. That's true. You can't but cheap pianos. If you insist getting a cheap guitar ensure that the strings, when properly tuned, are not too high abovr the fret board. Look down the neck from the tuning keys towards the body to ensure the fret board is not warped or twisted laterally or longitudinally, i.e no dips or twists. The height above the strings is called the 'action'. looking fromthe side along the fret board will also let you see that the strings are of even height. Make sure you choose gut strings, not wire. Finally get a good teacher.

Good luck

Swimming fully clothed? Either that or one of those enslaved fisherman perhaps. End of the month, paycheck time. Or not as it were...

You must be a newbe.Full clothed,yes.

Swimming fully clothed is not uncommon even in England. I've seen photos of fully suited gentlemen with ties adorned and trousers rolled up to the knees taking a dip, as it were.

I have used PB many times and have never had a pop-up. I do have my browser (Firefox) properly configured though. I also use a VPN. If you're going to pirate you better be using one of these.

I use Firefox and for the last three weeks I have been unable to connect to PB. I also read about the same time that PB had changed it's URL due to major browser's agreeing to block it from users and was also considering using another method of distribution. You mention configuring properly. Can you expalin please? I can connect to PB's Blog page and that also means I can still DL what I'm interested in. Thanks for any advice.

Police traced Mr Haider to his hotel in Patong by piecing together CCTV images of him as he rode his motorbike from Karon to Patong.

Thats the storyline right there, big brother will get you..more and more crimes here being solved directly because of CCTV.

It's a good thing and it's troublesome. Some innocents may get mixed up in something they had no part in. George Orwell's pescient work 1984 forewarned it but not to the extent it has developed.

Shouldn't be a problem at all. Just make sure you have the 20,000 baht ready in crisp 1,000 bills. I know someone who had a 9-year overstay (yes, nine) and had to return to the US to sort out an inheritance matter (death of his mother). He paid the 20k, no questions asked, spent 3 months in the US and then returned to Thailand with no visa, getting 1 month on arrival, again no questions asked despite his 9-year overstay. This was about 2 years ago, and as far as I know he's still in Thailand now and has not made a visa run in the past 2 years. Overstay is no big deal, as long as you keep a low profile.

I agree with your opinion however overstaying is one matter but the risk is if the police need to see your passport at any time for some reason, perhaps a trafic infringement etc. Once they see you haven't a visa then it's the lock up followed by deportation. When you are deported the record of that stays in the RTPI database. Whether you can re-enter or not depends on the competence of Immigration Officer i.e. the place where you enter.

Check this AEON bank URL link

http://www.aeon.co.th/aeon/af/aeon/unsec/custSrv/loc/loc.do?channelId=-8753&selectedChannels=-8758,-8753〈=en

"We will return the power to the people"

What about the majority of voters, who put the present government in power??

Oh silly me, I forgot, they are considered to stupid and poor to vote!

Take a look at the picture in the OP, reminds me of the good old days in the 1930's Europe!!

To the posters here still supporting this madman, you need to have your IQ checked!!

"Take a look at the picture in the OP, reminds me of the good old days in the 1930's Europe!!" Dead right. That's the first thing that came to my mind when looking at the photo and yes he is a real nutter.

“This year, I would like to see ‘zero’ listed as the number of fatalities, and if possible I’d like to see ‘zero’ as the number of accidents,” Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut said just yesterday at the campaign’s launch (story here).

Wasn't the governor supposed to announce the speedcameras and the speedlimit at the Bypass Road on this occasion?

Unfortuntely Speed Cameras and Speed Limits mean nothing unless Road Safety Management is introduced. A cop on every corner, in a manner of speaking, severe penalties for speeding etc etc. An occasional road block for checking helmets and licences does nothing to control careless driving. Now another young man goes home in a box. RIP

(yeah I know, This is Thailand)

Right on Eddy B. They should ask Suthep for the money. He'd give it to them and more, plus he'd get their votes too.

Yes and you get what you pay for.

Nonetheless it is a racket and i suspect the thai price is actually 200.

Does anyone have some insight and experience with this?

I think the thai govt actually offers glasses and packages dirt cheap at these shops, you see them on almost every corner in pattaya, but they are loath to tell you so.

I made a lot of people lose face today as i started to get more and more ticked off at the dishonesty of their practice.

They must LIVE for the commissions.

If you go in and ask for 300 baht lenses it is a lot diff than asking what is your cheapest, which they simply WILL NOT tell you, over and over. Rant over for now.

Gosh, I wish I could get my prescriptive lens and new frames cheap. I need progressive lens to avoid looking like I'm using bottoms of beer bottles. I went for a quote in Phuket town, The cheapest frames started at 3000 Baht. The cheapest progressive lens was 15,000 Baht and the recommended type he offered to sell at a discount at 28,000 Baht, normally 32,000 Baht. I need new lens but simply cannot afford it. My right eye is suffering for the want of the new prescription. Recently in Australia on a visit where I had the eye test done the optician suggested I bring my test results and have the glasses made here as they'd be much more affordable. I didn't ask him the price he might have charged because I was convinced he was right. I'm pretty sure I could have had them done down under for half what thay cost here. Woe is me.

My local soup vendor asked me if I supported the protesters.

I said yes.

He then said "that's great! so you're one of us!".

I said no.

He was shocked and asked me as to why I support them then..

I told him that the more the Baht falls, the more money I get and the worse his economy gets and that everything would get more expensive for Thais.

He made a pretty dumb face.

Tomorrow, I'm chartering a huge bus and will bring another 200 protesters to a rally site.

Don't ever let them stop the protests, please.

That is funny, but I would be careful about buying your soup from him (or surrounding vendors) going forward. Thais don't forget stuff that.

Yah, definitely not a good move. Never tell a Thai what you really think!

I too would like to see the baht depreciate more, however.

And sadly the Australian $ is going down along with it. It seems always the case that Australia lags behind the rest of the world, which is now showing signs of improvement.

Maybe some concerned Thai patriots could head up that way to offer assistance...

Send Suthep and his mob. He'll teach them a lesson or three.

There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage.'

Most of the northern (poor and uneducated) voters are lao and most of the hookers in Bangkok come from there too.

I've been with a lot of prostitutes in BKK like I know many of you have and they aren't as dumb as you think. The only good thing is that they are poor so they go into prostitution for us.

But I also don't blame the elites, if I was a Thai elite I would be extremely unhappy losing power to these lowly people.

What a paradox!

*Spelling mistake

This is the most disgraceful opinion I have read on this subject. Lowly people? Can't blame the elites? Could I ask what rock you crawled out from under?

Hi Bubblegum. I think I know what you want to do with the guitar i.e learn it as an instrument rather than just strumming chords. There is a way but you need dedication and patience. The first thing I should tell you is the guitar is not an easy instrument but with perseverance you can enjoy it. You should begin with; 1. A GOOD guitar and preferably a gut string acoustic one (not a steel string guitar) as it's easier on the fingers. Especially check the ACTION i.e. the height of the strings above the fret board. the width of the fret board i.e. not too narrow. Cheap guitars make learning much more difficult. and then;

2. Find a a good teacher. That might be difficult here in Phuket. However there are good Tutor books that can help you on your way, but really you do need supervision for at least the first 12 months. One book that comes to mind that I used for many years teaching my students that may still be around is Method for the Classical Guitar by Sophocles Papas. It's published by Columbia Music Co but it might be out of print now. I still have one copy which I bough 6 years or so ago. Now you might think this means some very difficult Classical guitar music which you're not really interested in. But uou'd be wrong.

3. A good guitar tutor book teaches you how to read and learn music at the same time you learn how to play the guitar finger style. The progress of the two should go together not one lead the other. The book I mentioned above is very easy to follow and at the end of the first 12 months you should be able to play some quite decent listenable guitar. I used to say to my students learn the basics and then decide what style you want to do. Learning what 'Keys" mean, how to construct chords. what an arpeggio is etc etc. is important. You don't teach a motor mechanic to just jump in to fix an engine before you teach him the basics. He has to be apprenticed and that's the same as learning the guitar correctly.

The main difficulty however for older people is the lacjk of flexibilty in the fingers. They tend to be too stiff especially if you have large fingers and especially if you've been a tradesman of some kind. But that shouldn't prevent you trying. Over time you will find your fingers responding but don't expect it too soon. I've been consideraing teaching again but as a retiree I cannot earn money here and I don't know how to get around it. Anyway good luck with you efforts

I really can not believe all of the poster's who keep stating that "Pheu Thai" have kept winning all the past elections due to "Vote Buying".... Obviously these individuals have not spent much time outside of Bangkok / Pattaya during the elections periods...

Having lived in Thailand / Isaan for almost 12 years, I can assure you that for years every political party offers and pays villagers either baht, gifts or free services during every election.... The Thai people up here are not as stupid as those in Bangkok would like you to believe, they just take what every is offered from whomever is offering, then just vote their personal choice regardless of any "incentives" which were given...

And as for Thaksin, his sister or family being "corrupt", wake up, I think that we all know that almost every politician / government official in Thailand is in some way involved in or has profited from corruption... That is the reason that they fight so hard to remain in such positions... I feel that Taksin's only "sin" was that he shared the proceeds from such a position with the poorer people in Isaan, thus giving himself a very loyal following and support from this area...

Pianoman

I have just woken up thanks, Thaksins " only sin" quote "was that he shared the proceeds from such a position with the poorer people in Issan"

Who's proceeds ??? from where ??? NOW please tell me what he gave out to the people of Issan ??? facts.

He arranged red villages, so anyone with different idea would have to conform, the village head man saw to that.

Look at the corruption table, and where Thailand stands in the world, they have just hit an all time high, after Yingluck stated that her government were fighting it, looks like they were fighting to keep it.

During the dems 2 years here corruption dropped--look at the chart. FACT. near all local government is corrupt as the government Knows about it and turns a blind eye--it has to because they are well in the trough.

I can see from my 32 years here, who is what, and now is the worst time ever. So many of the people here in Issan are taking what they can, from who they can, it's a beautiful area and some great people but much more greedy than years ago---they LEARN from their government how to do it--you can't blame them.

I've been here slightly longer than you but that doesn't make me an expert. Far from it. But to give your comments the benefit of the doubt I'd be interested to see if you can come up with some facts of your own especially viz-a-viz ' He arranged red villages..." How do you know that? Where's the evidence? Were you there or did you read it somewhere? It would make very interesting reading. I say this politely as I'd like a positive response from you.

What about the 'chart' re corruption? Now that would be something to see. I didn't know there was one. Does it have the source from where the corruption information comes from? Who is involved? How long they've been at it? I'd like to know how one determines corruption is measured. Is it based on personal income against asset wealth etc.? It really is a fascinating subject. and I look forward to you reply.

They'll win....and the yellows won't be happy so they'll protest......and round and round we go.

I agree they'll win again but for the peace and mind of the country PM Yingluk should resign her post and give it to someone seen as independant from the Thaksin family. Maybe that's tongue in cheek? Maybe nothing will satisfy the opposition minority being on the losing side again.

wow 18 yo and already a rapist ? I wonder what he will become at 30.... I feel sorry for this Australian lady , coming to help and got raped .... what kind of world are we living in ....

...who says he hasn't been doing it for years already....

"doing it for years..'? For heavens sake, he's a child. Eighteen years old and full of testosterone. He did wrong that;s for sure and the girl he abused suffered terribly but it's a good thing he got caught now instead of at the age of 30.

This guy's got nothing on Orwell. The protesters are returning the county to democracy with their un...elected people's council???

A senior Thai woman expressed her concern to me the other day, voluntarily, that Suthep wants a Communist Style Peoples Party Council that has overall power over the people without an elected opposition. Whatever the case it seems Suthep wants to put Thailand's infant democracy on hold. I can't imagine the Thai people would tolerate that for too long. As anyone who has lived here for any reasonamble length of time they would know Thais have a very indepndant and determined nature.

There is an office underneath the main immigration office that does photocopies and passport photos.

They charge like a wounded bull, so, best you get you photos done at any Kodak shop.

The charges are outrageous. 100 Baht for eight Passport photos at Phuket Town Immigration Office and 200 Baht for eight at the Patong Beach Road office.

For anybody really interested in the Thai economy they should read the Forbes Magazine's Jesse Forbes contribution. He predicts Malaysia and the Philippines are also in for serious economic downturns.

here's the link; http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessecolombo/2013/11/04/thailands-bubble-economy-is-heading-for-a-1997-style-crash/

It actually speaks volumes about the other side, that their self-serving actions have taken away their mandate to continue in office, which is why Suthep has to succeed. Even the Yellow Shirts have recognised this and set aside their differences to bring the Thaksin regime to an end.

YL and the PTP are still posturing and making various noises to maintain the appearance that they are in charge, but they are not. If they were, this would have been brought to an end some weeks ago.

When people power is capable of such disruption, the usual way to try to deal with it is through the type of heavy-handed tactics that they tried last week, and that is of course self-defeating, because people power just gets stronger.

In the end, the sitting government has to capitulate and give in to the demands of the people. It remains to be seen whether this will be done honourably, or whether it will be in the same way that Big Brother dealt with it, by quietly slipping away to enjoy their ill-gotten gains.

Right or wrong, Suthep's race is run. He's now an "also ran"

This news is utterly shocking.

Being 54 means you are elderly......

I need to go get my slippers.

He probabl;y aged twenty years after the hiding he got.