lanna2011

there is a small number of posters who think they know everything about everything (and have 1000s of posts) - particularly on the political forums and if you don't agree they will come steaming in and are very rude and condescending...

That's not true! I don't have 1000s of posts....

LOL

It is always "fun" to be mentioned obliquely. Yes the political forums do require a bit of thick skin and there are always new/returned members that would have much higher post counts if they weren't having to 'return' so often.

Like I said in reply to Nancy's quite well written post, the ignore option is there for all and using it is not a bad idea.

BTW --- to the OP --- a statement like "it is a question of breeding" is certainly the type of issue you seem to be complaining about on this thread

15,000 and counting... LOL

isn't it funny that some posters on here criticise the polls but use them in other threads when it suits?

Please share your examples of that happening.

.

I shall decline to do so but I was recently quoted a poll (completely different subject matter) which was very unscientifically put together (a TV poll) to justify something and now a much more professionally put together poll is hammered - just raise a point it's not that important as 'TVland' is in a Universe of it's own

isn't it funny that some posters on here criticise the polls but use them in other threads when it suits? anyway Abhisit is about to pay the price of his handling of the reds problem. But I'd still be surprised if the Dems couldn't cobble together a wobbly government - they should ditch Suthept - that would give them several more percentage points.

There are a small number of posters who think they know everything about everything (and have 1000s of posts - not UG who seems a nice guy despite his 1000s of posts). Particularly on the political forums and if you don't agree they will come steaming in and are very rude and condescending - much less so on local forums as has been pointed out - it IS a shame.

Any of the nah sayers here actually tried Reiki?

Edit: just got it funny

My UK bank (HSBC) send them to their Bangkok office where I pick them up (they require passport for ID). Nice and secure, no problems and no charges. I'm in Bangkok often enough for this to work for me. Would be nice if HSBC had an office in CM but......

Perfect solution - Nat West don't have any facilities here - how many times have I wished I'd gone with HSBC? anyway cards are expired and how the f*&k I am going to get new ones is a mystery at the moment

The only solution is to persuade the bank to send to friends who could out them inside a book and Fedex across - but not sure the bank will send to an unregistered address - a pain in the but as I can't access any funds - and many of the electronic banking needs the card in the card reader

They are sent from UK in a white envelope - PIN sent in separate letter (arrived safely) - letter containing cards missing two times - apologies if unclear

the old cards expired - first new ones sent automatically - went missing

same for next two requests - as I say I got the PIN letters successfully so the address was correct

anyone else get this problem? I got the PIN letters but 3 times now my cards have not arrived and the bank will now not send any (obviously) - now my cards have expired

The photo is said to be made in February 2009 when k. Arisman was still reasonably respectable.

The Ahbisit government is grapping at straws...

sign of abstract fear - digging up an old photo - what about all the photos of Ghadafi with top USA officials in the past? and Mugabe? - grasping at straws as you say

So if the BGs were 20 and under it would be better??

You bet it would

I think you guys aren't looking hard enough. I could point out several who are well under 20. (and under 18 actually).

Thing is though, what is someone who's at least twice their age going to talk about with those kids.. As said before, there's just more to talk about with people with some life experience.

you go to Loi Khro to 'talk'?

if you want to 'talk' get friends

if you want devotion and love - get a dog

if you want a sh*g get a BG

end of

But you all still eat pork right?

nope - I have been veggie for 37 years - it is a disgrace and shame on them calling themselves 'Buddhist'

Viewing Thai politics through international media every time Abhisit speaks he comes across as reasonable, sensible, articulate and honest (ok so it's an election and everyone is going tp talk up their chances), every time you here Thaksin speak he comes across as sniveling, victimized, flippant or confrontational. Setting aside the character assassinations that both men have had tp weather, there can be no doubt who the better man is, even if the votes recognize who the better politician is!

Yes, PM Abhisit is personable and well spoken to those of us that speak english. However, to the ears of a non English language speaker it means nothing. Yes, he speaks Thai in a polite manner, but it doesn't matter to the listener earning a subsistence wage. What were Mr. Abhisit's achievements prior to entering political life? Aside from the family connections and the old boys networking, what did he really do? Think about it. Was he a captain of industry? Did he distinguish himself by building a company? Was he active in the improvement of Thais lives as a civil rights campaigner, or an advocate of the poor? No. He came from a life of perks and didn't distinguish himself as an individual.

Mr. Thaksin can be called a snivelling thief or an evil person, but the fact is that he was smart enough to go from being an outsider to an insider and to build a fortune in the same way that many of thailand's elite hisos acquired their fortunes. Whatever, Thaksin's faults are ,he has experience as a self made man, a man that built a business empire and a man that went from humble beginnings to the PM's office. He did it on his own. He also fell from power because of his misjudgements. I think he's learnt from his past mistakes and I also think he's tougher than PM Abhisit. I doubt Mr. Abhisit could have stood up to the pounding Mr. Thaksin's taken.I doubt any of the people that take their daily potshots at Thaksin could ever attain a smidgin of his success or could take on all the folks trying to get him.

The fact that Thaksin has survived this long and has had the ability to take his opponents on, despite the odds being against him speaks to his strength and yes, even to his intelligence. He's a fighter, a tough guy that isn't afraid to show his emotional side sometimes. I offer that a great many Thais can see those qualities and gravitate to a guy that they can identify with, a man that might be a wealthy elitist in private, but one who can be seen as a man of the people, a man that is perceived to have the interest of the poor at heart. He might be full of BS, but he does a better job at conveying concern and empathy than Mr. Abhisit. That doesn't mean Mr. Abhisit isn't a decent man or that he is a bad guy. It's just about perceptions.

good post - ditch Suthept and Dems might fare better - but PT will win the largest amount of votes for a single party I think - it's then down to the dirty horsetrading

This phua thai people are against les majeste but like to file lawsuits for defamation of character. Isn't this double standard?

nope - most country's don't have LM but have the right to stop people lying about them (if that's what they have done - we don't know) - this is not the point - the point is 'why now' when it happened a long time ago and the answer is obvious

Most countries have the right to stop people lying about them, but that's NOT how it is used here.

Defamation laws here are used to stop people saying something bad about someone ... whether it's the truth or not.

That's what the LM laws are about too, and that's what the red shirts and PTP complain about, but they are quite happy to lodge a defamation suit against someone, even if they are telling the truth.

As to your other question, the answer is obvious.

"Why now?" is because she has just been put at the top of PTP's party list.

There was no need to stop her from becoming an MP (and possibly PM) if she wasn't even a candidate.

so something we can all agree on - no one likes the LM law or the way defamation laws are used - I can buy that and it's something we all agree on

So because of who her brother is she should not be allowed to exercise her legal rights when she has been defamed?? is that what you are trying to say?

To prove that she is being defamed, she should be defending the allegations against her.

One of the problems in Thailand is that you can file a suit against someone for defamation of character even when they are telling the truth.

This phua thai people are against les majeste but like to file lawsuits for defamation of character. Isn't this double standard?

nope - most country's don't have LM but have the right to stop people lying about them (if that's what they have done - we don't know) - this is not the point - the point is 'why now' when it happened a long time ago and the answer is obvious

no but others did and I agree that legal action should be after the election - if only to avoid what I said the 'it's politically motivated' argument - people are not stupid and they will assume this is an attack on PT and I just don't think it helps - she will be seem as a victim - right or wrong, guilty or not guilt

Wouldn't it be better to clear the air before she becomes an MP? How would avoid "politically motivated" after the election? After the election, it will just be seen as judicial interference in politics.

She should be attempting to clear her name so that she can run for PM with a clean slate. But, all she wants to do is leave it until after the election, so she gets her chance to give herself amnesty. If she doesn't "win" the election, she's going to resign anyway.

the fair point she's making is 'why now' - just days before the election - a fair point - I was not commenting on her guilt or otherwise because I have no idea

she has a point - it's politically motivated

She didn't actually make that point. She questioned "the legal campaign".

She didn't even deny the allegations.

no but others did and I agree that legal action should be after the election - if only to avoid what I said the 'it's politically motivated' argument - people are not stupid and they will assume this is an attack on PT and I just don't think it helps - she will be seem as a victim - right or wrong, guilty or not guilt

Underlying all of this a far more sordid story. The family of one of my wife's acquaintances owns a noodle shop and last week one of their low paid waitresses, a pregnant Burmese woman, was hauled off to the Immigration jail in Soi Suan Plu. The Immigration police allegedly requested B200,000 to clear up this misunderstanding which I don't think they are able or willing to raise. The Burmese woman and her unborn child will be lucky to survive the ordeal in prison. Conditions are far worse even than in the mainstream Corrections Dept prisons and disease and malnutrition are rife. Thailand now relies on foreign labour, mainly Burmese, to make up nearly 10% of its workforce and the number is still growing. Some have short term alien cards and work permits but it is complicated and expensive to get documented and it is estimated that 60-70% are illegal. This means that there are around 3 million illegal immigrants living and working in Thailand. It is impossible for this situation to exist without corrupt cooperation from government officials going up to the highest levels. In some border areas, over 90% of the workforce is Burmese which must be pretty obvious to police, immigration and labour officials. Policy of successive governments seems to be to turn a blind eye to this problem so that the country's inefficient businesses can continue to profit from unsophisticated, sunset, sweat shop industries that would be unviable if foreign labour was properly regulated and employers were forced to pay living wages, provide medical care and respect workers' human rights. Planning to move up the value added scale in industry like more developed Asian economies have done, is hard work that requires dedication to a long term perspective that is lacking from Thai politicians who mainly just want to get rich quick. The businessmen are happy with their sweatshops and the politicians and government officials are happy with the bribes they pay. So who wants to fix this? The system works best with draconian laws and interpretations that make it hard to get proper documentation, so the bribe flow remains lucrative and there is no question of any form of permanent residence or naturalisation for the workers. Meanwhile workers who complain about poor conditions and not payment of wages continue to be thrown to the sharks by Thai trawler owners.

Depressing...

I just don't get all the winging about tying up 800,000 - it's a very modest sum to be allowed to retire here - and yields in most country's are very low anyway so you are not losing very much interest.

Put the 800,000 in Bangkok Banks new 3% 15 month savings account and forget it.

she has a point - it's politically motivated

he has a point - some of the TV 'mafia' have posted over 10,000 times some over 15,000 times - they must really believe their opinion is important and must be pretty arrogant - come on he's right - now watch the flames of indignation and justification

We'll see what happens on the 3rd of July, but PT seems to be doing much better than anyone anticipated. I had thought that putting Yingluck in the PM slot & the Redshirt leaders on the Party List would be a disaster for them, but it seems to be working. My take on it is that the Thaksinista faithfuls are reassured by the sight of someone close to the Dear Leader leading their party, while others are swept up by the concept of having Thailand's first female PM. As for the Red Party List MPs, well I guess it's been long enough since Bangkok was burning for them to be forgiven!

clean sweep I'd guess

Free dinner. I find this hard to believe considering that Thai nationals can attend.

I mean, I could easily bring at least 100 Thai nationals for the free dinner.

There must be some catch.

offering them to play at the piano?? for the other diners?

'hey GOTTCHA!

zey have ze cunning plan zeez immigration folk

is it a trap? a sting? seeing who turns up and the old

'hey you would not be here if you were not working' ploy?

will we see David in the clink?

There are a mixture of girls everywhere -I have met some VERY nice girls on Loi Khro - particularly when i first arrived here and knew nowt. Now I tend to go fishing in other places where it can be F4P (no pun intended)

Whats confusing is that some individuals have an income but not a pension as yet.

So do they now want to see pension proof or income proof?

As many i know that are over 50 but under 65yrs don't qualify for their pensions in their home countries.

Bingo...

I too, hope that someone will clarify this.

It has always been 'proof of income' not pension - people use that term loosely - some people never have pensions at all but are wealthy.

It does strike me, though, that if someone cannot afford to put 800k in a bank or have a small income of 65 they are a bit cheeky to be complaining - they would not be able to survive anywhere in 'farangland' on less than that surely?