sfbandung

Two Brits, a Dutchman, a Filipino and two Thais walk into a bar .....

And it isn't a joke. What is a joke is that anyone falls for these scams? Are there that many gullible idiots out there?

But the police won't get tough on them. They never get tough on anything they say they are going to get tough on.

YIngluck has just visited PNG (where I live with the Thai missus) and all the talk at the yacht club on Monday night was about what a honey she is. She certainly attracts attention.

But other than her looks can you tell me anything significant about her visit?

And that is the point - looks good, but that's all people remember about her.

Which is actually quite insulting and shallow when you think about it, that you are only remembered for your smile as opposed to your ability to do the job. Yet this is the card our venerable PM consistently plays.

I don't really take politics seriously. Being an Aussie I'd be pretty bloody depressed right now if I did. Australian politics at the moment makes Thai politics look like a picture of rational stability.

Yingluck inspires more respect from me than Julia Gillard. And to be shallow and insulting, as a bonus she is also much better looking ...

YIngluck has just visited PNG (where I live with the Thai missus) and all the talk at the yacht club on Monday night was about what a honey she is. She certainly attracts attention.

It really is depressing how almost every thread turns into a Thai bashing session. This is a scam, that's a scam, they are bad drivers, bad people, Thailand is crap. The opening reply is a thinly disguised slur on Thai women in general.

We only bought our car this year and missed out on the rebate which on the surface seemed a good idea. And my Thai wife is a good chick.

How many of the foreigners (note I'm not singling out any nationality) killed on the roads in Thailand are pissed idiots on motorbikes?

They do seem to be conflicting ambitions. Get the numbers up, keep the numbers down.

Comparisons with Europe are simply irrelevant. The allure of Thailand is its difference to Western culture.

As I keep saying to people, good weather + poverty + pretty girls = a vibrant prostitution industry. I don't see anything wrong with that as long as ALL the participants are willing and no one is being exploited. What I also say to people is that you can very easily avoid that side of Thailand and see a staggeringly beautiful place with genuinely nice people, great food and an intriguing culture and history. I recommended a flash hotel at Krabi to some friends who spent a week there with their kids. Hired long tail boats, went island hopping, wandering around and eating at nice little places at Ao Nang. They never saw a hooker or were scammed by anyone. They had a fantastic time and will speak highly of Thailand.

It's a great country.

We live in PNG, Thai missus for 3 and a half years, me 18. It is relatively as dangerous as any poor country where you are obviously far wealthier than the average punter. Kind of like Thailand really, just more primitive. You just need to accept where you are and keep your wits about you and not ask for trouble.

The funny thing about Yingluck's visit is that we have been invited to every function and the missus doesn't want to go. "What do I want to meet her for?"

We are in the process of applying for Permanent Residency for my wife and stepson (through the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby). Initially exactly the same problem, blind insistence on contacting the father, whose whereabouts are unknown and my wife and her family want nothing to do with him

I am getting that blind insistence from them also, even though I pointed out according to all their own documentation, we have met the requirements.

>We told them this and that the Thai authorities were happy to issue a passport based on a Phor Khor. We have now been told that they want to see a translated Thai Court Order saying she has sole custody and that will suffice.

They told us that we must get this permission from the father to have any visa granted for the child to come to Australia. I then pointed out that the child was already granted a visa (tourist) and was already in the country! they didn't respond to this point.

I also pointed out the same thing as you, that the Thai authorities were happy to issue a passport on the same Phor Khor, and as far as the Thai government was concerned the mother has full and sole custody.

I dont know you go about getting a court order in Thailand saying that the mother has sole custody, when she already does.

How do you ask the court to grant you something you already have?

We are talking to a lawyer about it right now. We are back in Thailand for Songkran and will have more evelopments then. Message me and I'll keep you posted ...

We are in the process of applying for Permanent Residency for my wife and stepson (through the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby). Initially exactly the same problem, blind insistence on contacting the father, whose whereabouts are unknown and my wife and her family want nothing to do with him.

We told them this and that the Thai authorities were happy to issue a passport based on a Phor Khor. We have now been told that they want to see a translated Thai Court Order saying she has sole custody and that will suffice.

I read the title too quickly and thought, "You beauty, a 5000 baht note. At last"

But no ... Does anyone know if there is a plan at some stage for a larger denomination note? Our builder always wanted cash and what a pain it is carrying and counting 200,000 baht, which is not even $7000.

Sad when greed, the lack of basic moral standards and a sick mind get together. As for the guy, they should lock him up and give photos of his own siblings and all youngsters in his family to his fellow paedophile inmates...

Dude, the Swedish guy was part of the sting operation. He was one of the good guys.

Not according to the article. He fled Thailand.

Is it just me or is it strange to anyone else that not far from the headline (decrying human trafficking) there is an ad saying, "Make a Play for Asian Girls".

Now concern turns to anger ...

Amazing.......and that without knowing the exact reason for his "missing"-situation.

Judging without knowing any back-ground, that's what people good at here!!

Not judging at all Joe. Just following what the logical progression would be from a parent's perspective.

You're right. We know only a small percentage of the whole story. But if I was a betting man ... Missing, big search, found "safe and well" ...

Now concern turns to anger ...

"Thank God you are OK"

"Why the f didn't you tell us that is what you wanted to do, you selfish @H?????"

I think that is quite a natural reaction for his family and friends to have.

The guy is not a 12 yo kid deciding to play hide and seek at the mall and taking it too far. He is old enough to decide what he wanted to do, but if he had a brain he would have cared about not making others suffer.

Having said all that, there may still be some information that we don't know and might explain things, but it seems highly unlikely.

That's exactly where I'm coming from. I have a 23 yr old son. If he pulled a stunt like this I'd be beside myself until I knew he was ok. But if it turns out he was goofing off without any regard for his family it would turn to anger very quickly.

But "my boy" would never do anything like this ....... Says naive parent ....

Now concern turns to anger ...

Expat briefing yesterday said 60+% of tourists now visiting Pattaya are Russian speakers.

60% seriously? I knew there were a lot of them but didn't think they had become an overwhelming majority. Thought the Brits were still in the lead there. But I suppose I'm thinking in terms of residents, not tourists. But does not one become the other eventually?

We're buying a Mu 7. It will be in the wife's name. Can we (she!) claim the 100k?

Sorry, but you missed it by 7 weeks.

Posted 2012-12-14

The populist scheme... ends on December 31 [2012].

http://www.thaivisa....s/#entry5929447

.

Ok ta. There you go.

Good weather + great culture = tourists. Poor people + pretty girls + tourists = prostitution.

Why be embarrassed about prostitution? I'm not embarrassed to be a programmer, it's what I do for a living. I don't like it. It's boring. But it's what I can make the most money doing. So I do something I dont like to make money.

There is very little difference.

Which one is legal?

Both. Nothing illegal in Thailand about working as a bargirl or a gogo dancer and sleeping with customers for money.

Actually if you provide sexual favours for money that is called prostitution and prostitution is illegal in Thailand.

I'm coming from a moral, not legal, angle. She has sex with people for money. I sit in front of a keyboard and screen all day.

What do you do for money? And why does that make you better than a prostitute?

What's embarrassing is seeing all these old white guys walking around town holding hands with young Thai girls and acting like she's really his girlfriend or something. Now THAT'S embarrassing.

For who? You?

Are you being embarrassed by proxy?

Old rich guy, young poor pretty girl. Sure it's not as common, but you do see the same in Oz and the US. Old rich guy, young beautiful woman. It's a lovely symbiotic thing.

Good weather + great culture = tourists. Poor people + pretty girls + tourists = prostitution.

Why be embarrassed about prostitution? I'm not embarrassed to be a programmer, it's what I do for a living. I don't like it. It's boring. But it's what I can make the most money doing. So I do something I dont like to make money.

There is very little difference.

Which one is legal?

Both. Nothing illegal in Thailand about working as a bargirl or a gogo dancer and sleeping with customers for money.

Can you work as programmer without a work permit?

I have a work permit. In PNG where I work ...

Edit: Double post.

She is not interested in mudslinging.

Some mud wrestling perhaps? Now that I'd pay to see.

We're buying a Mu 7. It will be in the wife's name. Can we (she!) claim the 100k?

Good weather + great culture = tourists. Poor people + pretty girls + tourists = prostitution.

Why be embarrassed about prostitution? I'm not embarrassed to be a programmer, it's what I do for a living. I don't like it. It's boring. But it's what I can make the most money doing. So I do something I dont like to make money.

There is very little difference.

There is a World of difference... If you could make more money being a male prostitute, sleeping with older, perhaps fat and ugly women... Would you ????

If he's a prostitute why would he be bothered about the appearance or age of his customers? He's doing it for the money not because he's attracted to his punters.

I'm actually talking more about the relative morality of what we do for money. Programming v prostitution. Why is my "profession" more "honourable"? Why am I allowed to look down on what a working girl is doing for a quid? Because it doesn't involve sex? That's ridiculous. My job is shit boring and I hate it. But I do it for the money....

Fat, ugly women? How much money are we talking here? With most people you will eventually reach a sum where almost everyone will do almost anything.