razer

Man ... the Sicilian Mafia got nothing over the Thai law enforcement group.

A few days ago left the Intercontinental Hotel on Suk around 12 midnight after a cigar and whiskey with a friend. Nothing but scum type taxi drivers and tuk-tukl drivers hanging around the hotel. I live 1 kilometer from the hotel and was quoted prices from 100BHT to 250BHT with zero traffic. Disgusting. Normally I would walk, but I don't feel safe walking in BKK at night.

Off topic but things are getting cleaned-up. I took a first time visitor to Khaosan Road in Bangkok. I was shocked. Clean ... no weird people foreign or Thai ... normal people enjoying the area ... no squat drinking til drunk on the roadside .... and the restaurants and legitimate vendors were doing very good business.

It was the first time I didn't feel the need for a shower for just being there. There is hope for a better Thailand.

Ah, there is the magic word "work". Wishful thinking or just PR.

Spend the money on a Thai campaign to teach the Thai people that tourists contribute money, and a lot of it, to the Thai economy.

Tourists are customers. Customers means jobs. Yes, some behave badly but most don't.

Protect tourists from bad police and criminals who try to cheat them ... like the jet ski scammers and bad taxi drivers who won't use meters.

You are wasting money on PR unless all you want is a one time customer (a Thai norm).

With social media alive and well and beyond control of the Thai government, Thailand can't hide the bad things that happen to tourists.

Guilty or not, the Thai police and Thai justice system has lost face in front of the world. Because of the incompetency made public, it seems likely everyone will believe the real murderers will never be known. A tragedy for the parents. The PM should have stepped in sooner and invite UK police inspectors observe and advise. If he had done so this whole event would not seem like such a sham.

Private language schools have always enjoyed immunity from legal action ($$) with a few exceptions of not fulfilling a contract under Thai labor law.. They are always looking for the people willing to accept the lowest pay. (No need to say more on the quality of teacher that will work for $10 per hour) They promise work permits and don't come through meaning they can easily get another cheap teacher (sucker). I have one personal account when a teacher at a private school told me the owner threatened him with "the hit man" if he were taken to court for not paying the guy's salary.

Some schools, to be sure, are good, but there are many, many unscrupulous business owners.It is the school's responsibility to vet teachers and it is the schools who should be held legally accountable by the Thai government.

Before you send your child to a private language school, investigate the school. Not the glitzy web site. Investigate teacher forums and complaint forums. Ask the school what they pay teachers or go to a teaching website and see what their going rate is and how often they are advertising for teachers.

So ... they think they are doing us a favor when they accept our destination? If they are doing us a favor, why should we pay them at all?

Seriously, taxi drivers are a service provider and part of the public transport system. They are also a face of Thailand to visitors. Currently taxi drivers are an ugly face that is an embarrassment to the country.

If taxi drivers can't accept driving in traffic ... get another job! ASAP! We don't want you!

Since corruption in Thailand has had such a huge negative impact on education and infrastructure, it is a crime against the nation and national interests. It could be intrepreted as a crime that falls under lese majeste.

Gosh ... look at this guy. Think of it. Just a few months ago he was taking for granted his many properties, pondering what to do with his stash cash and scooting about in his Bentley or Benz probably chauffer driven. I don't envy him or pity him. The social cost of corruption is immense.

WIVES - In Washington DC the congressmen and senators had wives who would enter the real estate business. Often the person or company of wealth that wanted favorable legislation would buy an expensive property from the "agency" resulting in handsome profits for the wife. It was kind of like money laundering the bribe. When that scam made the news, I think it was stopped.

OOOPS! I hope I did not plant any ideas.

I think it is ridiculous that these people have been restricted from working on the beaches - it's part of the appeal. To go to a beach and for there to not be any umbrellas, sun loungers and soft drink vendors is a sad sight, disappointment and inconvenience.

Did you see the video of the scoundrel from the umbrella and lounge chairs abusing a tourist who wanted to lie on her own beach towel?

I heard through the grapevine that such BB guns are good for constipation if used in the right place on such people.

Brilliant gag.

Thai politicians are SOOOO STUPID! They should have legalized corruption like the Americans did by passing a law allowing unlimited campaign contributions from anonymous donations.

Oooops. Hope I didn't plant any ideas here.

I think most expat residents approve. I also think those squealing the loudest are the ones who have (rightly or wrongly) profited from the system of corruption.

The greatest natural resource of each and every country is the people and therein should lie the priorities. A well educated population makes a sustainable prosperous nation.

Ratchetewi BTS - 100 meter radius - full sight of police box often having police standing around - cars and motorbikes run through red lights - make illegal u tuns - block the zebra crossing - motorbikes moving at 10-20kph on the pavements -

Law is law ... only when there is resolve to enforce it. Otherwise it is only words on paper.

These are noble sentiments that would be good for Bangkok's image but police just don't want to work for no backhand.

Just got back from Hanoi where traffic seems chaotic but it is safer than Bangkok and police are on the streets helping people cross, and moving for hire transporters hustling tourists.

When I was a kid in the military .... hanging out in bars with bar girls ... we all knew these things happened and were always on guard. How can grown men be so stupid?

Use the buddy system if you plan to go drinking and ...ing.

"He who knows .... knows not. He who knows that he knows not ... knows."

Going way back to a philosophy class.

Do they stop for people in the zebra crossings in Krabi?

Do the Thai public and Thai police know what the zebra crossing is for?

FINALLY!!!

"‘unbranding’ advertisement would tend to receive more interest than a conventional branding commercial,”

I hope you understand that now TAT.

That includes news stories about tourist victims.

That means no more "Hub" hype.

Branding is a misunderstood concept in Thailand. Branding is not a panacea for solving or hiding problems.

Women are women everywhere in the world ... the good, the bad and the ugly. No country is unique for having predator women ... that's for sure. A good Thai woman , like in any society, is a good wife but much less self centered than a western woman.