hellodolly

In my moobaan here in western Bangkok and in a nearby province where most the in-laws live and from listening to the neighbors and in-laws speak, the Pheu Thai Party (#1) seems to be the favorite....seems to match-up with what the polls are generally saying. And the idea of a female PM seems to have real support; maybe it's just the desire to give a different political party and a female PM a stab at running the government/fixing problems in the country. Remember, politicians are like diapers; they need to be changed often. Don't know, but don't discount the polls especially since almost every poll has the Pheu Thai in the lead. But regardless of which party wins the most votes, the winning party getting other parties to join-in to form a coalition government may be a real cirrus show. For Thailand's sake, I sure hope the election goes smoothly without too many follow-on red cards/disqualifications being issued out afterwards.

Well the last thing I want to be is a Thai basher

But if the people really think that a mediocre business women with no political experience depending on her fugitive brother to tell her what to do and say as well as making sure she has the money to do it is what Thailand needs well it really dosen't say much for there decision making abilities.

That doe's not even mention having the backing of a group who are responsible for starting actions resulting in over 90 dead and one hospital invaded and trying to burn Bangkok down. You will find these people running for office can you imagine what they will do if they have immunity. If not having immunity held them back God, Diva, Buddha what ever save Thailand.

"People's Centre for Fact and Justice" - catchy name, I wonder who that's funded by? Quite possibly a private organisation in Dubai.

The road to reconciliation will be long and rocky as long as the main offenders fail to realise that the Abhisit govt had the right to order them to move their protest from it's site which was disrupting the lives and businesses of Bangkok residents, that the use of lethal weapons (and I include slingshots and petrol bombs) negated their claim to "peaceful protest", and that quite a few of those killed were at the hand of the people they support.

They claim to want punishment for the offenders, in a week they will vote for them to give them immunity from prosecution. That alone makes the event more farce than tragedy.

Right on

I got part way through the article and realized they wanted to blame it all on the government. Their relatives were lily white. Then to top it all off they want the government to give them more money.

It was just another thinly veiled red shirt attempt to wash it's hands of any part in the event and put it all on a legally elected government doing what it is supposed to do.

To all red shirt lovers. I will gladly join in your ranks if you can give me a morally rite decision why it was OK for you to seize property in private and public domain invade hospitals and try to burn it down. If you were peaceful and legally rite what were the guns for. What were the baricades for the fire works the grenade launchers?

You will note that the army came to you with out hiding behind there kid.

I am not expecting you to reply because you have no answer other than that is what Thaksin paid for.

Flame away

A misleading tittle that (conveniently) hides what is the most significant statement of this thread

Former prime minister Banharn Silapa-archa yesterday expressed relief that there was no incident during the Democrat rally at Central World.

Banharn, who is chief adviser to the leader of the coalition Chart Thai Pattana Party, said he did not think the Democrat rally was good for reconciliation efforts.

The only way the democrats can hope to stay in the driving seat is by deepening the divisions of the country.

In an united Thailand, the democrats will appear as they really are : a small civil servant union catering to the privileged few.

Well that is better than catering to the one.

Had to laugh at this half truth

"Pheu Thai's three-point statement also it was a political institution that served people all over the country, and not just any particular individual. It promised to adhere to the rule of law if it was elected and formed the government."

Looks good but the rest of the story is after we have changed the law.

I have often flown business class from Chiang Mai to Bangkok return. There Business lounge in Bangkok is excelent.

If they could get a hold of the person in charge of that and make him in charge of the same amenities on there air planews it would be worth considering them for the number five or higher spot.

With the cost of there fares there is no reason for shabby out dated seats. The interior of the planes always seemed dirty to me. If it were a house it would have been repainted at least twice.

I don't know how they stack up price wise for international flights but they wanted about 300 Baht less than Air Asia for a trip we were planning to Krabi from Chiang Mai.

Problem being there price was one way where as Air Asia was return.

So we can pay 400 Baht to enter a temple, but we can't get a beer? (Foreigners who don't look Thai). I believe this is called profiling. If profiling works so well when entering temples, why can't it work the other way when ordering a drink in a bar?

Oh well, I'll just stay home, drink whiskey alone and cry. :jap:

I have been in many temples.

Are you just talking about one temple and trying to make it look like a nation wide event. I have been in Temples from Nonkong si Tamarret to Masai and never never had to pay one single Baht to do so.

Try to be a little bit more definite Name some of these 400 Baht temples. They might be worth a visit.

Maybe you drank a little to much whiskey. Why don't you invite over some fellow sufferer's?

The big tourist temples along the river in Bangkok charge and I think the main one is probably close to 400 baht --- especially if you include the fee to rent outfits to cover your shorts.

Thanks Nisa. so it is just a local phenomena to a certain area of Bangkok. Are the Thai's really let in for free?

Also are any of them worth paying to go into?

So we can pay 400 Baht to enter a temple, but we can't get a beer? (Foreigners who don't look Thai). I believe this is called profiling. If profiling works so well when entering temples, why can't it work the other way when ordering a drink in a bar?

Oh well, I'll just stay home, drink whiskey alone and cry. :jap:

I have been in many temples.

Are you just talking about one temple and trying to make it look like a nation wide event. I have been in Temples from Nonkong si Tamarret to Masai and never never had to pay one single Baht to do so.

Try to be a little bit more definite Name some of these 400 Baht temples. They might be worth a visit.

Maybe you drank a little to much whiskey. Why don't you invite over some fellow sufferer's?

Thanks for raising the issue RTD. I too will need to get to LAX soon and don't want to go to BKK first or have to return via BKK. I've asked a couple of agents in town; one said they would get back to me because they weren't clear on the situation either. But they never got back to me. Another agent said they don't offer service to Taipei anymore.

Don't know for sure but could they not be flying to Hong Kong and then on to the States. As has been mentioned best to check with a travel agent. Several times I have had them save me money. Mind you I deal with a well established one with a good reputation.

Which one is that?

K and K on Tha Pha road kitty corner from AIS and up about 60 feet.

The dispute is not about religion , They want there own autonomy , to rule themselves , they don't class themselves as Thai or Malaysian, This problem goes back 100s of years.But i agree that killing people because they have a difference of opinion is wrong.

The dispute is not about religion but it is based in Muslim beliefs. Take there Muslim beliefs out of them and no more problem.:jap:

The western diplomat in Bangkok is way off the mark and knows nothing about Thai society. In Bangkok there are many "middle class citizens" who are red shirts, and always have been

I have many of my wife relatives living there some own 1-3 houses but all red to the bone.

Sounds like you married into money.

Epson salt or magnesium sulfate is sold by the agriculture supply stores in 50 kg bags and sometimes in 1 kg bags. Distilled water is sold by most car/motorcycle parts shops in 1 liter bottles. Alternatively, try the medical supply shops on Suthep Road, one at 257/19 Suthep Road from The Book of What Where and How, try it, you will like it.

I was wondering is the distilled water at the auto supply done chemically.

I once fasted for three days drinking nothing but distilled water.

At the time I was off work and doing very little. It really cleaned out my system of impurities. My eyes were sparkling after that.

I currently use it in several machines I have for repertory problems.

We need to get to the very bottom of the issue and ask what drives young men there to take up arms against the state and why so many local Muslim residents in the region support them? Essentially this is about Thailand's statehood and the unwillingness of political leaders to address this unpopular topic and its underlying causes because they know it won't win votes outside the deep South.

You could have the same narrative wherever a large Muslim population resides in close proximity to a non-Muslim population. In scripture Islam is a supremacist religion, which means it's not consistent with peaceful equal coexistence with others. This is not to say there aren't moderate or quietly secular Muslims, but alas their voices are unlikely to be heard as doing so would put them in the firing line of the radicals.

Well said.

The problem will never resolve itself as long as the Muslim's hold on to there superiority complex. they will continue to set them selves above all others.

In reality they can not even get along with themselves yet they still feel they are superior and if you don't join them well there Koran says death to the infidels.

He added that at the recent rally, the Democrat Party only expressed negative views of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was a member of the Pheu Thai Party Party, but did not attack the Pheu Thai Party itself.

Banned politician, convicted criminal, party member...

Where's the EC? Surely this is enough to dissolve the party and ban the execs (again)... we all know its coming, its just a question of WHEN?

(my guess is July 2nd)

If that happens, then there will be civil unrest, then a coup, then quite possibly civil war.

Unfortunately the Dems and their military backers are in the 'at all costs' brigade and will do anything to stay in power despite tearing apart the country to do so.

They must let the people decide regardless of Thaksin. Their big mistake was staging a coup to get rid of him in the first place and it has taken almost 5 years treading water to the same outcome.

The Dems have been unelectable since the last Chuan admin was removed because of corruption (funnily enough a guy called Suthep was directly involved in that) and for even the most casual observer of Thai politics this was the only possible outcome.

Surely you are joking.

You claim "Unfortunately the Dems and their military backers are in the 'at all costs' brigade and will do anything to stay in power despite tearing apart the country to do so. "

Just what do you think Thaksin was trying to do in his failed rebellion. You know the one where he paid people to sieze public domain to kill people to invade hospitals to try to burn Bangkok down.

Surely you are aware of that if not you might want to study up on what your pay master is really like.

well PT are up by 13 % in the latest unofficial predictions and their lead is increasing.

In truth, the Dems have had 5 years - since 2006 to show something ... anything. Unfortunatly they seem more content with squabbling among themselves and not wooing away the reds supporters. Its basically in the too little too late zone -

Better stock up my liquor, make sure I pick up a multi re-entry permit next week.

In truth, the Democrat-led coalition has only been in-power for half of that time, the junta-appointed government was faily-bad, & the two PPP-led coalitions even worse.

This is politics he is not interested in the truth.

I doubt that North Comets will host a bike party this year for Chiang Mai Bike Week however most of the other clubs in the area will have their events as usual.

I do not own a bike at present but have been considering purchasing one.

I did not know there was such a thing as a bike club. Could you explain a little bit about them and there activities. Also it sounds like there is more than one . Is there different goals in each one.

It all sounds fascinating to me.

Not sure if it is iodized but I buy sea salt in a grinder at Rimping.

If you don't mind my asking what is the benefit from Non iodized salt as compared to iodized?

I have not been keeping up with all the election promises. Has any one offered any real help in a reasonable manor not there normal all will be well style?

The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand is confident viewers will realise the film paints an exaggerated

Uhh no they won't, in America at least. In American minds Bangkok is straight up dangerous hellhole where you are lucky to escape alive, and this movie just reinforces it. The movie went out of it's way to portray it as backwards and dangerous as possible, from saying that there are frequent power outages (what???) because the country can't produce enough electricity, that the main industries are rice and shoes (in 1985 sure), showing mainly Chinatown where everything is old and no skyscrapers, kidnappers, gangsters, ladyboy rapists etc. This is the first time most young Americans have ever seen Bangkok and Thailand, and most have never met anyone who has been here, so this film is going to be their perception of the country for the next decade or two. There's a reason Ebert said this film might be a good advertisement for a rival tourist city, like Singapore.

Oh please... Americans hardly travel abroad anyway. And when they do, Thailand is a favourite destination. I have met more Americans here than in any other of the 40 countries I have visited. Don't Americans think every other country is backward anyway??

And, let's face it, this isn't Singapore.

I think people who come here generally want to have a wild experience or 2, unlike Singapore... so the movie is a good advertisment.

I have to agree the movie is a good advertisement. I live here in Thailand and when they showed scenes of the islands in the south I think Krabi I wanted to grab a plane and head down there.

As for the rest of the movie it was just very entertaining and in my opinion any one who thinks Thailand is really like that are the kind of people it would attract any how.

Actually more Americans visit Mexico than Thailand.

The frozen streaky bacon sold in Macro is the best I have tasted in Thailand.Although it is sold for the restaurant trade in kilo packs, it is not difficult to partly thaw and repack in smaller quantities.The price is much better than all of its competitors.

I agree if you are talking about that American style streaky bacon, it tastes good and from memory is about 180b a kilo but the fact that recently i have only ever seen it in frozen packs has put me off buying it as i had thought it would be too difficult to separate and put in smaller packs, but you suggest partly thawing and then re-freezing in smaller packs is OK?

Cook it all up and put in meal size packs and freeze them works lie a charm. The main problem I have is some how all of it never gets to the freezer.

I pay personal tax, company tax, employ 20 Thai people., pay social security etc etc

Does that qualify me to express my opinion?

Now the question is what do you to have the right to criticize others personally ?

It is definitely the "Hub of Whingeing Farangs"

Some day it would be really nice to come to TV and see a forum about the ALL good things in Thailand without all the knockers adding their comments....Now who is going to be first to flame me...Your prize is a wet bus ticket

Why not you make a thread and start the list of all the great things, rather than make your judgements of what and who people are

Can you tell me what you actually contribute to the country that you constantly knock

I compare living in a country to going to a restaurant....if I like it I go back and recommend it...if I dont like it I never go back and knock the hell out of it....if you like Thailand to live in be a little constructive...if it does not suit your taste there are many other countries in the world that would welcome your money etc etc

Just been for the big monthly shop at Makro...had a lot of fun with all the staff who were more than helpful and lots of Thai smiles....go to Tesco in the UK and u get the surly look which says "what the hell are you doing here upsetting my day by wanting me to actually do some work "

Now off for lunch at simple Thai restaurant where I enjoy great food and service with lots of smiles for little money

Than have to call into the bank where I will be greeted by another lot of smiles and good service

Tomorrow is Immigration day where I get get great service and have done so for more than 9 years....I dont carry an attitude with me when I go

Then off to see the lawyer who is and his staff a ton of fun

In the evening I will have some beers at a bar that is not full of attitudinal (is that a word)farangs bursting your eardrum about how things are done in their countries

Now is that enough fun for a couple of days

I did my homework before coming to live in Thailand permantly...checked out a few places that I thought I may enjoy but warts and all Thailand is a mile in front for what I want out of life....if it does not suit you well u should take a few paces back and decide what you really want...if Thailand is what you want then enjoy and contribute and by contribute I dont mean just money

I take it you figure you have the right to criticize every single Thai in Thailand because you paid for it and no one else who hasn't paid as much as you can criticize.

If you paid more money what would that buy you.

My My we sure are defensive. Are your employes in the service farangs business in pattaya?

Organic farming you are really talking shit. Spreading the shit all over the land.

Now let's not under estimate the Thais in that capacity. They are big on talking shit. For example, hub this and hub that. They even had a deal with Toyota to produce their wheels for them. All of the car wheels world wide. It is to be a hub of hubs but the deal fell through when the Thai side wanted to re-invent the wheel. That would be one with corners on it. Strange I thought the Thais were experts at cutting corners; you know, safety rail here, warning sign there. Silly me.

But organic vegetables is a real possibility when they stop the spraying. The same spraying now happening in every field where I live. Taking my evening walk I paused to watch a passing Stork fly by and a farmer sprayed me twice top to toe. My mistake was standing still. Even for a moment is a mistake.

The wife had warned me not to go in the fields as it was now poisoned to hell and back. The green putird run off gathering in fetid pools and killing everything around it.

And the world's kitchen! Wow fantastic idea that one getting the Muslim world to eat all that Pork. Does it mean we all live on take-a-way then and chips are out? Is nthye kitchen the same ones that line the roads with their thick black encrusted baked on fat that resembles tarmac? And the fly blown rancid fat woks that get cleansed in the cold grease gobbed water standing in a plastic bowl and used to rinse dishes from morning till night. not forgetting the cheap bent cutlery, ancient filthy chop sticks and knives and boards used to chop everything from meat to veg.

Excuse me! But these people don't differentiate red from green at the traffic lights, so how can they be expected to understand hygienic cutting boards for meat, fish, veg etc? One size fits all may do in Thailand where E. Coli is the name of an Italian visitor but in the land of flush toilets, medical check-ups, vacinations, health care and infant mortality rates of 1 per 1000, do we really want to be having our food cooked and left standing all day in the heat in some steel pot covered in flies.

Some folk may have gotten used to a Thai meal followed by an immediate and painful dump caused by food poisoning but the fine ladies of Western Europe will not be signing up anytime soon.

Why can't Thailand be satisfied with it's current world staus as Hub of Corruption? Duff Police Hub? Five on motorcy Hub? Never stop at red light Hub? Can't drive safely Hub? Failed school hub? Lying, cheating and laughing all the way to the bank hub?

There are more but you'll have to wait until Thaksin comes back.

Oh yes, Formner criminal leader, dictator, raper of country's assets hub.

You forgot hub of malcontents.

I rest my case.

hub hub hub

The one thing we know for sure it is the hub for wanke_rs who can not make it and are socially unacceptable where they come from. This hub allows them to look down there noses at others rather than being the one's who are looked down on.

It is also a hub for retiree's who want to live in a beautiful environment with opportunities to do things they could only dream of back home. Opportunities to have a life free of the restrictions placed on them by the need to earn money.

I am not going to say it is but it might be a hub for those looking for new and different opportunities to make a living. The posabilities are endless and they need not be negative. The choice to dwell in the negative is yours it is not enforced on you. That is a presumption on my part that you are not mentally sick. Sorry if that is the case. Suggest you leave Thailand it is not a hub for restoration of mental health.

Dr Phil

Labeling people who laugh at the absurdity of Thailand regularly announcing their intended "hubness" as bad people who can't appreciate Thailand just isn't sensible. Rational people can see the ridiculousness of politicians but also the beauty and benefits of the place they live in, and they are able to separate the two. You appear to be somebody who is unable to do that and will get unreasonably upset by any criticism of anything related to Thailand. Taking that into account, I would suggest that for the preservation of whatever mental health you have remaining, that perhaps you would be a better candidate to consider leaving Thailand. The truth is that Thailand has problems and quirks, and people are going to discuss them and laugh at them. If this upsets you so much as to publicly paint large groups of people as failed socially outcast wanke_rs then maybe it's time for some serious soul searching on your part.

You are correct to a point what you conveniently over look to prove your point is that some insist on living down to the level I pointed out. They have never taken the time to talk about the beauty that Thailand has. They continually bash it. Even if it is not talk about a hub they bash it. If you read my post you will notice I point out that there are negative things. I mean no harm to you. But

Some times the truth hurts.

hub hub hub

The one thing we know for sure it is the hub for wanke_rs who can not make it and are socially unacceptable where they come from. This hub allows them to look down there noses at others rather than being the one's who are looked down on.

It is also a hub for retiree's who want to live in a beautiful environment with opportunities to do things they could only dream of back home. Opportunities to have a life free of the restrictions placed on them by the need to earn money.

I am not going to say it is but it might be a hub for those looking for new and different opportunities to make a living. The posabilities are endless and they need not be negative. The choice to dwell in the negative is yours it is not enforced on you. That is a presumption on my part that you are not mentally sick. Sorry if that is the case. Suggest you leave Thailand it is not a hub for restoration of mental health.

Dr Phil

google

Dok Kaew Gardens

I have been out there to visit a friend when he needed help but not hospitalization. I was impressed. Not only is it a retirement home with staff to assist you it is a place where you can just go to live there. It is on beautiful property with lots of hiking trails. I believe that once a week they have a van to take you into the city for those who arte still mobile and do not have transportation.

In my opinion well worth a look.

Exactly. It can be done, but needs a lot of work, procedures and control, something for which Thailand is not really a hub I'm afraid. Getting certified won't be easy.

I hate to disagree, but Thailand is a hub for lack of procedures, lack of control and the capital of laziness. So another hub is perfect. the only problem is just like all other "hubs", mind you there is one at least every month, Thailand is also a hub of having short memory, so all the hubbing will be forgotten by tomorrow

Dear Kuffki, thanks for the compliment. You just confirmed that by now my English has reached a level where I'm able to write understatements which confuse other non-English speakers. That is assuming I understand what you wrote.

I wrote 'needs lot of work, procedures, control, not known in Thailand'. You wrote disagree, Thailand does none of that. In my eyes that's about the same as 'not known in'. The other hub you mention to be perfect is the one I wrote 'can but not easy in Thailand.

This really brings me to the question, do you know what you talk about? Sorry, but having come full circle I do not see what else I can conclude

Kuffiki is a Thai basher.

He has not one good thing to say about Thai's. To him they are only good if they serve him.

His expertise on Thai's is derived from Pattaya and Kosan road in Bangkok. Hardly a good base to draw sweeping conclusions from.

The OP has a 4 year time frame and is very open about the fact that a lot has to change.

Why he would like to shoot it down now is beyond me. I often wonder what it is these Thai basher's gain with there constant stream of bashing. I notice they never bash how cheap it is to live a comfortable life here how cheap it is for them to enjoy the pleasures of life here. In short they are just a sad lot.

Standard Maoist play book move.

Blame you opponent with being out of touch with the poor.

Thilda is playing to type.

Sorry, so tell me,

How in touch multi-billionaire Yingluck is with the actual poor of Thailand?

She might want to look at the signature on her pay check it is not grass roots people it is Thaksin the master of deceit and corruption.

For some one so concerned about the grass roots people she has some pretty funny play mates.