Pieman

Pieman,

How long have you been living in Bangkok?

What bars and pubs do you know here?

How many of the owners have you been to chat to?

If you'd like some help I can introduce you to a few successful bar owners in Bangkok.

Thailand 15 years of which Bangkok about 5 but not recently.

I know most of the bars mentioned in the thread but not any of those opened in the last couple of years.

I know a few owners, some well , some on nodding terms.

Thanks for the offer. I'll PM you when I know the dates I'll be there.

Marshall is one of a rare breed, someone who is prepared to risk his personal safety and publish his painstakingly researched conclusions about what is the hidden reality in Thailand. When he decided to publish his latest book, he knew that by doing so, he could never again enter Thailand - a country he loves - at least until the lesse majeste laws are repealed.

He sets a fine example of speaking truth to power unlike the author of this op ed from that bastion of free speech, The Nation. A pussy of a paper which does not dare to speak candidly about negation of human rights and unjust laws, preferring to cozy-up to those in power rather than attack them. It does not have the moral authority to criticize journalists who are braver than it has ever been.

As to justifying the practice of "Benjangkapradit" because is historic and traditional well, so is the fascist salute and the swastika. My three year old is made to put his feet together, wai and bow respectfully to any adult in his vicinity and whenever he passes a buddhist statue - he does it because he is told to, not because he wants to. That is indoctrination, get them when they are young and they'll do what they are told for life.

After owning managing a guest house and, later, a bar/restaurant up north an investor has asked me to look at opening a bar, pub or club in Bangkok. As part of my research, I thought it a good idea to canvas potential customers. It would be really helpful to know the sort of thing you are looking for. I'd like to have a mixture of good live music (Western and Thai), with an open mike night and regular guest performers; a short but excellent menu, reasonable prices and high standards of service and cleanliness. No BGs.

Any thoughts about location, decor, number of seats/tables, high tech or warm and cozy, themes, furniture, amenities, pub games. Don't forget your pet hates, either.

We are moving forward very positively so here's your chance to get what you want on a night out.

A problem with giving a full answer to this question is the lack of specific information. I'm mindful of the need to stay on topic and I was going to post my question as a new topic but I think it might help develop the issues raised here. My apologies to the mods if I am in error.

I wish to move from Laos to Thailand and would like to comply with all legal requirements regarding work permits and residence. I am an educator whose work product is confined exclusively to the internet. I undertake work as an independent contractor so have no employer (I am self-employed) but I do receive an income. All my students live outside Thailand. I am in negotiations for a contract which would require me to hire and supervise other teachers who would also work over the net. Eventually, I would need to recruit administrative and secretarial staff who would be Thai. My question is: is this work arrangement permissible in Thailand and, if so, what do I need to do in order to operate legally?.

Can any one help with contact info for apartments/condos in the Muang Thong Thani area of NW Bangkok.

My limit is 6000 baht/month - long term contract.

Thank in advance

P

The incident I recall was well before 6 or 7 years ago. But from your description it was Paveena Hongsakul (which now sounds right but I was thinking it was someone else for some reason) and she was not a minister but an MP.

It was a bit more than 6 or 7 years, I think.

For a while she was the knight in shining armour promising to rescue the innocent from the clutches of western deviants. It wasn't long before bar girls were threatening to call her whenever they couldn't get their way.

I think she was instrumental in getting at least one bar owner arrested. I saw her in the Winchester in Jomtien surrounded by a gaggle of girls each competing to out-do each other with stories of mistreatment. She disappeared as soon as the publicity faded.

What are you doing and where do you live that you think this is necessary??

Thailand is not the same as New York!!

I had a friend who live in Bkk and kept getting attacked by dogs in his soi. He got a taser, used it a couple of times and now the dogs run away from him.

Hmmm,...maybe you should go and explain those folks that they should not be offended and that they should better heed the advise of Aristophanes & Co.

Bring a few copies of Cicero's writings around as well, that might help them to comprehend the true values of the Republic and moral conduct in politics in order to better understand the misdeeds of the man they swore their allegiance to.

Good idea...........I'm on it!

Just musing about the pseudo righteous who are complaining that the "square faced man" is insulting, claiming that people in Issarn are offended. Now, as I understand it, Thailand is a democracy and Thaksin is a politician, so I thought so I thought I'd have a look for a few quotations about politicians originating in other democracies (with one exception) and compare. Most of these quotes are about politicians in general but with a little imagination............

Under every stone lurks a politician.

Aristophanes (450 BC - 388 BC), Thesmophoriazusae, 410 B.C.

You have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.

Aristophanes (450 BC - 388 BC), Knights, 424 B.C.

Now I know what a statesman is; he's a dead politician. We need more statesmen.

Bob Edwards

Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything.

Frank Dane

The reason there are so few female politicians is that it is too much trouble to put makeup on two faces.

Maureen Murphy

Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.

Nikita Khrushchev (1894 - 1971)

I once said cynically of a politician, 'He'll doublecross that bridge when he comes to it.'

Oscar Levant (1906 - 1972)

An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.

Simon Cameron (1799 - 1889)

Bought my tickedt months ago for a week in February.

###### well better be some prostitutes left when I get there

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The minister wishes to save the girls from prostitution. I'm sure he'll save some for you.

Sorry prev link doesnt work, try

http://www.google.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard....ct=ST;f=8;t=950

Don't you think they ought to send him to trial first?

At last a thoughtful response!

Does anyone know the name of this NGO that's involved?

There've recently been some serious allegations about Child/women's rights orgs in Camodia targetting innocent people and bribing children to fabricate evidence.

Details:

Khmer 440 forum

I'm not saying that this is the case here but let's get all the facts before we kill/castrate this guy.

Wow! We're really kicking here but I 'm beginning to think that we're heading off topic I made my original post by way of information targetted at anyone who was thinking of going to Pnom Penh for a visa, that's why I posted it on Thaivisa.com.

The essential point I was attempting to make was really very simple: in the period of time that I have lived in Thailand I have, I sincerely believe, contributed to the Thai economyand its people. Yet there is a guy in Pnom Penh, representing the Thai government, who plainly does not care about any of that and, because the reasons he gave for refusing my visa are clearly illogical and ludicrous, I am left with the feeling that he doesn't care if I stay or go (remember, he is officially representing the view of the Thai government.) That's fine, it's my choice, I know. But surely it's not unreasonable of me to provide feedback to this forum and to beg a few questions of any Thai citizen who might be reading this thread. Yes, I was angry at the time (still am) but is that unreasonable?

How the ###### we graduated from this to comments about whether a poster would make a good English teacher or not is beyond my ken!

Thanks to all who posted supportive comments. To those of you who are only interested in ranting and flaming, get a life.

To those who get off by looking for negatives and who accuse me of breaking rules when a more careful reading of my postings would clearly show that I have not (yes Mr Brownstone, I'm talking to you) please take your over-ripe ego somewhere else. Try stupidfarangmoralists.com. If you dont want to help, shut the ###### up.

Pieman

Firstly, thanks to all you guys for your helpful responses. I've played around with the ports but so far it hasnt helped. As to a 4Gig doenload in 2hrs....well done that man! I can only dream.

You are working illegally in Thailand without either a proper Visa or a Work Permit, quite obviously the Immigration Officer suspected that this was the case - hence the Visa refusal.

The rules are designed to - hopefully - catch people just like you.

Mr Brownstone, please dont be too hasty with your judgements. I have owned 3 business in the years that I have been in Thailand. All legal, taxes paid up, non-imm B visa and work permit. Right now I dont have either a business nor a wfe, nor a dependant.

You are just as guilty as the Pnom Penh consul in making rash uninformed decisions. Fortunately the consequences of your judgement dont affect me. They just make you look like an idiot.

Also what the ###### is GPRS about? Would this phone support that? If it doesnt can i still call just using the bluetooth dongle, laptop using the phone as a modem (I suppose) and connecting to KSC via pay as you go Orange?

GPRS works with a GPRS modem (USB) which costs about 10,000 baht. You then get a sim card which will work with the modem for about 1,000 baht per month. This is for unlimited connect time and unlimited down/uploads. I've got a friend who has one and he's impressed witht the portability. He travels alot and is able to remain connected all day, even when in his car. Speeds compare to a a reasonably good landline with a 56K modem.

Thanks guys (m or f) for your replies.

Let me try to respond to your points:

are you eligible for a retirement visa ?? will save you a load of hassle.

If I was married, I would be. Unfortunately, as you probably know, the Thai authorities (for some reason which escapes me) require 800,000 baht or 80,000 baht per month, or an equitable combination of income and capital. My overseas income is approx 60,000 which falls short of this figure. How it is possible to require twice as much to secure a retirement visa if you are not married than it does if you are is another question. The biggest drain on one's resources is a Thai wife, how the ###### can it be reasonable to require 2 times as much money fronm someone whio doesnt have one beats me! Of course I've considered this, I'm not stupid. Come to think about it, that could be the problem; Logical, intelligent thinking is surplus to requirements in Thailand.

If there is one rule to live by in Thailand it is the following: Never give a Thai the opportunity to screw a you, as they definitely will.......

The Thais you often deal with can be uneducated people with power over your situation.

First point agreed. As to the second........why do we allow them such power. Look at the postings in this forum and look at the level of support that average farang gives to the average farang. Yet, those people who either live and work in Thailand, or who have retired here MUST be contributing a phenomenal amount to the Thai economy. Without the farang resident or regular visitor Pattaya, patong beach and Sukhumvit would be devasted. I dont want to leave Thailand but it's the only way I can claim my power back!

in the first place: why didnt you get a proper visa supporting three thai citizens

Danone, no offense, but as an advanced member of this forum you surprise me. I have lived in Thailand for almost 8 years. In that time I have had several non-imm B visas, I've had three businesses. But, under Thai law, I cannot obtain a non-imm "O" unless I have documentation to show that I am married to a Thai or that I am supporting a Thai child. Documentation! Failing that , my only option is to show 800,000. I have more than that, but a lot of it was earned here, in Thailland and so doesn't qualify.

i have heard of many applicants in PP turned down for non immigrant and sometimes tourist visas. also the void or cancelled stamp after waiting two days is routine for that office

So, how many of these people have complained? Can they complain? I guess not. I'm still kinda fired up here so maybe I'll try. Maybe an open letter to the consul in Pnom Penh?

The truth is that farangs here, if they flex their economic muscle, might, just might be able to influence this government. Alas, there seems to be no groundswell about doing that. Make no mistake, if you dont bring a small fortune into this country on a year on year basis, you are not wanted. (Unless, of course you're prepared to work for a pittance as a teacher). I refuse to be exploited in this manner and, in the absence of a forum to make my views known, I must accept the inevitable, bite the bullet, and move on to somewhere where I feel as if I'm wanted.

I can confidently state that the good days are over. We are at the mercy of a racist, monetarist culture and I for one will not wai to that. What about the rest of you?

Thanks for the suggestion. is there any way to find out which ports are not blocked?

This will be a short posting cos I'm so ###### angry that I want to forget the experience. Got back from PP one week ago and it's taken me this long to cool down enough to write.

For about a year now I've been doing monthly trips across the bridge at Nong Khai but on the last two occasions on entry to Thailand the Imm Officer (politely) suggested that it was unwise to keep asking for 30 day visa on entry stamps and that I really should get a "proper" visa. I decided to go to Pnom Penh and get one. Arrived PP Tues. Went to consulate. The girl there (Thai) was abit concerned that I had an overstay stamp (from 6 months ago) but I showed her a letter from the hospital that I was admitted to and she kinda let me off with the warning "Okay, but only this once". I handed over $25 fro a single entry tourist visa. Went back to collect on Thurs. Collected my passport which had a post-it note saying "visa not granted". Looking in the passport I saw a toursiust visa had bee stuck in there but it had been cancelled. There are 15 red ink void stamps covering the entire visa.

I used the internal phone and spoke to the girls who I'd seen on Tues. She said that she had stuck the visa in but when she gave it to her boss for signature he refused to sign it. Reason: I had too many 30 day stamps!! What should I do I said " GO to the border and get another 30 day stamp" came the reply. I bit my tongue and didn't point out the illogicality of this response and tried patiently to explain that I was only here because the immigration officer had suggested that I already had too many 30 day stamps. I went on to explain that I was living in Khon kaen, supporting 3 Thai citizens and that this decision was problematic to me and what advice could she give me that would enable me to stay in Thailand and continue to support these three unemployed Thais in the manner to which they had become accustomed. "You must get a tourist visa", she said, "but not from here. You're living in Khonkaen, you must go to Vientiane because it's nearer".

As Trink would have said "Any comment would be superfluous", but I have a few points to make to any Thai or concerned individual who might chance upon this thread.

1. I calculate that in the time I've lived in Thailand I've been a net cash importer of more than 7 million Thai baht. Do you want this money or would you prefer I helped the economy of another, more deserving country?

2 I have provide accomodation, food, transport, education, curtains, blankets, cookers, wasing machines, motorbikes, LOVE!!, doctors and hospital fees to at least 5 Thai people AND their dependants for 7 years. Do you want me to continue to do this or should I leave them to fend for themselves?

3 Since when has there been a requirement in Thai law that you must go to the nearest consulate for a visa?

4 Is it not about time that the Thai Foreign Services started talking to TAT because the ads say I'm wanted here but the consul tells me to **** off!

5 Can I please have my $25 back?

Anyway, it's all academic. I'm outta here!

Pieman

Hi All,

I know that there have been other threads dealing with this and related topics, but does anyone have a good combination of software and int configs to get good download/upload speeds using the TT&T (CAT & HI-net) adsl connection.

My average over the past week has been UP: 1.3KB/s and DOWN:3.7KB/s.

I've had a max speed of 115.3 KB/s but that must have lasted for about 1 nanosecond! (Speeds measured by Bandwidth Monitor Pro which I'm told is pretty accurate).

I'm guessing (cause neither TT&T nor Hinet give out any information) that the required ports are being blocked. Does anyone know a work-around?

Many tahnks for any replies.

Pieman

Thanks to all, on balance I guess it's Poipet then. Looking forward to the crush

Thanks KhunDan, any guess as to which is the best (Poipet or Chong Chom) for onward travel to Pnom Penh?

I've been receiving pension cheques from NHS superannuation dept for 7 years or so. The dept will not sent money by any electronic method to Thailand because of problems in the past and lack of contractual agreements to re-pay overpayments. I believe that State Pension dept operate on the same principle. As I have no UK bank account I have no option but to receive cheques. So far, I have only lost 3. Not bad over 7 years. However, it takes a lot longer than 5 days to clear these cheques. No Thai bank will do it in less than 28 days and most are like the Siam Commercial Bank and quote 45 days!

Does anyone have any info re Chong Chom crossing? Particularly, is it open for visa on entry when going into Cambodia?