spermwhale

Very few establishments in Sweden even accept cash anymore. The chances of a Swede traveling abroad with Swedish banknotes to exchange into local currency is absurd. They are all plugged in and paying with debit or credit cards as well as apps. This is really a non-story, unless somebody brought over a bunch of Swedish cash and has kept in a box at home.

We all knew this would happen. I hope things don't end badly when they try to hang on to their power. That constitution that Prayut rammed through ensures the military can retain control. Thailand is lucky the junta isn't as sick and violent as the military government in Myanmar. The carnage would be shocking.

I doubt that. It sounds like they were killed and robbed. I wasn't traveling in Thailand alone. He lives here. He went to hang out with his GF like any normal teenager.

More like they came on their own accord to make money again like many other rural girls. I have not met a single bar girl who is an indentured servant and is not there of her own free will. Plust they were all above 18 and no drugs were found. Interesting that they singled this bar out though, considering that every other bar has the same types of girls, young and who came from upcountry. BUTif the cops really tried to dig deeper they would surely find really illegal operations where minors are held. Someone posted above that perhaps they didn't bribe the boys in brown, which sounds about right.

Agreed. It's not hard to drive around Phuket. The learning curve is quick even for people who are used to driving on the right hand side of the road. Traffic isn't nuts like BKK and since every phone has GPS, it's easy to get around. Plus you have the freedom to just run to a store and buys some provisions like extra water, beer and snacks for your room. Those places are not always within walking distance.

Every time I go to Phuket, I rent a car at the airport and that's how I get around the Island and to other nearby provinces. You can score a Yaris for about 1,000 baht a day. The price alone for convenience and not having to deal with the outrageous songtaew and taxi prices is worth it.

THIS is why I read ThaiVisa: There was also a rather menacing "gun lighter".

I don't think Cake would like it knowing that some Q nut is quoting them.

She could have been 18. You missed out man!

Yeah.. Although it's technically not the cool season anymore, these fires really ruin the best time of year in the North every single year. It's a regular thing and it only takes a few selfish farmers to ruin the day for millions

Forget about him slitting his own throat. Of course that is possible, but how could he do that AND then somehow stabbed or cleaved himself in the chest with the chopping knife.

it applies to people in every country in all types of jobs. Not just American cops, Thai cops and some bouncers. I've been thrown out of club in Sweden by over aggressive bounces after a waiter insisted I ordered a drink (whiskey which I never drink) when I didn't and when I refused to pay for it. I've seen power hungry office workers in the US and Thailand walk over their subordinates after they were given a tiny bit of authority. It's not unique.

The point is they are fleecing her. No way, no how anywhere, especially up country in Thailand, would a hospital charge that much to treat someone for their injuries like hers, not even Bumrungrad or Bangkok Hospital.

Very sad. RIP.. Sadly, This is why I never rode a motorcycle while living in Thailand. I don't trust myself and I definitely don't trust the drivers.

I guess Bill has turned into the grumpy old farang. Old coot

"top lawyer" decha ... My loony bin ex wife retained this bulldog lawyer in her custody fight against me in family court. He was outrageous, loud and aggressive and the judges reprimanded him again and again. Fortunately my deranged ex wife falsely thought he was colluding with me and my lawyers to lose the case, so she fired him and filed a complaint against him with the Thai bar association to have his license revoked. Now he's countersued her for million and millions for sullying his reputation. . He's not a good lawyer though. He's a loud mouth.

It's likely a mistranslation. All of these articles are either written in English by Thais or written in Thai and translated into English by a Thai who is relatively fluent in English. I worked as sub editor at both the Nation and Bangkok Post and I'll tell you there was always vague phrases like that or misuse of words that would raise questions. A good copy editor would have gone back to the reporter to make sure that he wrote was correct. My bet is that the police said that they are unable to say what the motive was.

This is why I read Thaivisa

another armchair detective with no knowledge of the crime speculating nonsense. Electronic transfers are easily done and nobody would in their right mind would arrive with a stack of cash like that and keep it at home, especially a westerner.

If he's Swedish, he was probably drunk as a skunk

There is a large Swedish and Norwegian community in Hua Hin and Cha Am.

The more it surges the less boom boom will be had in Thailand.

This practice has been going on for more than two decades

Yes. If Thai police ask for a drug test, you have to comply. They send you behind a screen with a cup to pee in it or in the bathroom. One by one.

That the exchange rate was good was because Thailand was still reeling from its 1997 financial crisis and a weak currency usually connotes a bad economy. And during Yingluck's time in office, the exchange rate went the opposite direction as the baht gained strength. At that point anyone depending on foreign income was hurting.