Skorz

Me and my wife (Thai) have three kids,one of which was born in the UK. We've been married 7 years and have lived in the UK for almost 3.

Last year we had a big argument and she went to stay with a friend for a couple of months. When things had calmed down and she came home, she had been awarded an indefinite leave to remain stamp in her passport. I asked her how she got this and she said that the free lawyer in a local woman's aid group help her set it up. However, she never took the Life in the UK test. Ever.

My wife can be a bit thick at the best of times and she has no idea how this visa stamp came to pass without her taking and passing this test.

Can anybody shed some light on this? Has she somehow slipped through the net?

Cheers.

Probably drunk, helmetless tourists wending their way home at 3.30 coming into contact with a badly parked, unlit salaeng.

Can't really blame the island.

A fall from a balcony - who knows what happened.

RIP to both victims

Terrible shame. RIP.

However, even if the salaeng was parked in the middle of the road and was cloaked by Klingon technology the owner of the quid shop will absolutely not ever be questioned over their innocence in this.

The salaeng WAS the squid shop and....

oh never mind.

Yeah mate, I know what a Salaeng is.

Oh never mind.

Probably drunk, helmetless tourists wending their way home at 3.30 coming into contact with a badly parked, unlit salaeng.

Can't really blame the island.

A fall from a balcony - who knows what happened.

RIP to both victims

Terrible shame. RIP.

However, even if the salaeng was parked in the middle of the road and was cloaked by Klingon technology the owner of the quid shop will absolutely not ever be questioned over their innocence in this.

There is a time and a place for snide comments and gutter press tabloid news....

Here and now would be a great time to pull in the likes of "The Sun" to have a good rant about the new costa del crime or Fuk-it as it has been called.

Burma will open...

Tourism will displace...

Phuket will become... what..? a sad retirement town... for who...?

What a shame the gutter press aren't here

Thailand has had a good run of luck with foreign investment and tourism, and like all runs of luck it won't last forever. Myanmar will pull the rug right from under them and the Thais will have nobody to blame for this but themselves - after all the proof will be in the pudding, i.e. visible visitor/investment feedback in thousands of online websites and blogs. No denying the voices of millions. And the general message will be 'Myanmar is better because the Burmese don't steal and lie like the Thais, they genuinely like foreigners, the beaches and islands are cleaner, it's cheaper, you can own a business without having being forced to give 51% of your business to a slimy local and the place isn't run by the mafia'. My point being that the all the scams of Phuket, Samui etc that are being left to run unattended because the powers to be secretly <deleted>*kng hate farang and are making a cut out of our misery will destroy the country in a few years.

Do you really think a lie detector will serve any purpose other than to appease the press and as a tool for the advancement of those in the big chairs?

An entire nation that is driven ON EVERY LEVEL by an unshakable culture of lying, depict and, most importantly a refusal to admit to, or apologise for personal error. A lie detector in a jail might as well be made of cheese. It will never be used in the cause of good or for it's true purpose, it will be a tool for framing the innocent and scoring points within the system.

A few weeks ago I walked in on my thai father in law. He was looking at an old photo album full of pictures of beach scenes and pictures of a young woman and her two teenage kids . He was alone and sobbing. When he saw me he quickly closed the album (not before I had a chance to see some of the photos), got up and left the room. The photos were blatantly of his second wife and their children together who I know exist (my wife told me). My wife later asked me if she though her father was acting strangely. Then, and only then did I volunteer what I had witnessed a few hours before. She told her mum and the two of them then got really mad with me and called me a liar. For the remaining two weeks of our stay with them neither the father nor the mother talked to me. To this day my wife still refuses to talk about it. The mother knows I told the truth, yet refuses to accept it. Bitch.

QED, these people are fa*king fools, living in denial seems to suit them perfectly. I lie detector will only serve to annoy them with the facts.

What will the reformation of Burma mean for Thailand? I can think of a few things and non of them are good.

1. Cheap labour shortage as thousands of Burmeese return home from Thailand to work on domestic projects.

.

2. Huge competition for Thailand's main industry, namely tourism. Anybody who has studies a map of the Myanmar cannot fail to notice the hundreds of nspoilt islands and beaches, the virgin jungles and the countless possible pristine dive locations. Also potential for less (and more) scams and extortion, generally cheaper for tourists, undiscovered for backpackers...

What do you think?

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

You forgot to start your astonishingly patronizing response with 'Gather round children'.

Thanks for detailed report Trevor by next week you should be on the Lao Khao and smoking reefers then!!

You may be right - I'll keep you informed!

Breaking News Update: Still had small bottles of Singha to accompany my breakfast on Ko Chang!

Brilliant. Carrying the torch!

Absolutely love Chang and the way they've achieved legend status among beer drinkers. I will definately check this out. In my old age the 6.5% variety is proving a bit harsh on the ol constitution.

Does anyone know how to catch snakes in the garden, without killing them? Have seen a couple of rat snakes (I assume) in my garden the last few days, and as I have two small dogs, I would like to get rid of the snakes. I have made two traps out of PVC drain pipe, but so far no luck. I don't want to kill them, as I used to have pet snakes, so I feel the same way about killing them as most would feel about killing a soi dog.

If anyone have any ideas about how to catch them, please share. And I don't mind using my hands, but so far they have been too fast, and then they go back in the drain system in my Moo Baan.

I had those green tree snakes in my garden in Surat. They can bite and it hurts like hell. Our gardener used a meter length of yellow PVC tubing (the sort that serves as electrical conduit) with a doubled up length of washing line fed through and protruding in a noose at one end. He would just loop the head of the snake and gently pull the loop tight and lift the reptile out of the bush.

Of course then the snake would be bludgeoned to death with a shovel within seconds.

TIT.

Yingluck is basically Thaksins fall guy.

I believe from the very start of her campaign she has been the sacrificial lamb that is required to throw herself into the political abyss of fail-minister in order that her evil-genius master may emerge triumphant from the flames of chaos that is current Thai politics and install a fully brutal and unforgiving totalitarian rule on the people.

Think China but with far better looking women.

If the schools down there are only offering 'backpacker' salaries as someone stated, then that's surely all that they can hope to attract in the way of quality teaching...Who and where does the funding come from for the teaching positions anyway?Is it at an individual school admin' level or is the funding fom the local education authority?If the schools aren't serious they can not hope to fill positions with quality teachers going down this path!!

there is a minimum salary requirement for a work permit. i believe its 50k a month.

They should put a one baht bounty on rats.

thats a bit mean.

Make it 5 thb and I'll ship my air rifle over.

I hate centipedes!

Please, don't ever mention centipedes again on this forum. I have frequent nightmares about the 'da carb'.

PM announces 3-phase flood rehabilitation plan to restore confidence

BANGKOK, Nov 8 -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday announced "Strategic Measures for the Country's Rehabilitation" – a three-phase post-flood action plan to build confidence, regain trust, and restore the country's prosperity and stability in the long-term in a manner that is sustainable and systematic.

Speaking at a news conference at the Santi Maitree Building in the Government House compound, Ms Yingluck said the government's strategy for the country's rehabilitation was divided into three phases or 3Rs – Rescue, Restore and Rebuild.

She said the immediate phase or 'Rescue' would be completed within 1-2 months depending on the flood situation. This stage would be the responsibility of Justice Minister Pracha Promnog as chair of the Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC).

The second phase – Restore – which is a short-term phase, will start its operation after the floodwaters have receded and will be complete within one year. This phase will cover rehabilitation and remedies to the economy, infrastructure and quality of life of the people. Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit will oversee the task.

The third phase – Rebuild – the long-term phase would involve actions to build confidence, regain trust, and restore the country's prosperity and stability, she said.

This task would be divided under the supervision of two committees, the Strategic Formulation Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development (SCRF) and the Strategic Formulation Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM). A number of eminent persons and leaders in business sector were appointed as members.

She said the government has invited former finance minister Veerapong Ramangkura to chair SCRF while Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong, on behalf of the premier, would chair the SCWRM.

Eminent persons with knowledge and expertise on water management will also be appointed as members while Dr Sumet Tantivejkul, head of the Chaipattana Foundation implementing royal projects, was invited to be an advisor.

Each committee has been requested to propose a timeframe for its work to the cabinet as soon as possible.

"The government has considered the rehabilitation as national agenda in order to move the country forward. The government promises that it will do its utmost to restore confidence and faith in the Kingdom so as to lead the country forward with stability. To this end, we will together overcome the crisis" the premier said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-11-08

This is all very nice and optimistic. However, what they seem to have forgotten is that flooding is seasonal and does not happen every five years. So, they'll be in the middle of phase 2 'Restore' , and then Thailand will flood again. So back to phase 1 add infinitum. Except that each year it will get a little bit worse. A perpetual state of fire fighting. Hmm.

The negativity here is depressing.

Whatever figure was given out I think TV members would moan saying it was too high or too low.

That's all you lot do is moan. Your sarcasm is almost racist.

A determination to find a long term solution to the flood problems is precisely what is needed and it is going to cost a huge amount of money. The money will create a huge number of jobs for Thais and will benefit the whole of Thailand not just Bangkok. Why does everyone here condemn it before anything has even been started. Just because some of the money will go astray is no reason for that. Money goes astray in all government spending all over the world. Look at your home countries before spouting your puritan bullshit here.

We condemn it before ti happens because a lot of us have lived here a long time and have seen far too many times those greedy frog faced SOBS in their spanking new 4x4s that seem to materialize every time a new roads gets built, a new school gets opened, a new policy gets passed. Personally I'm sick of it and yes, before any of you cynical old booze hounds pick my post to pieces, yes I am leaving.

Earlier poster mentioned sealing drains. Bloody good point.

Unless all the sewers, drains, overflows etc etc are totally air tight, then water level will quickly reach equilibrium, perhaps even with 'shit spraying explosive results' regardless of sand barriers and all the rest of that rubbish.

Basically, if your toilet is below the level of the local flood height and is connected to the main sewer network (which is probably is unless you have a cesspit in the garden) then basically your toilet will overflow and back flood all the poo from the sewer into your house when the weight of the water above is greater than the air pressure in the u-bend.

unless of course Bangkok sewers have back-flow prevention which is possible.

Earlier poster mentioned sealing drains. Bloody good point.

Unless all the sewers, drains, overflows etc etc are totally air tight, then water level will quickly reach equilibrium, perhaps even with 'shit spraying explosive results' regardless of sand barriers and all the rest of that rubbish.

Basically, if your toilet is below the level of the local flood height and is connected to the main sewer network (which is probably is unless you have a cesspit in the garden) then basically your toilet will overflow and back flood all the poo from the sewer into your house when the weight of the water above is greater than the air pressure in the u-bend.

Have they sealed up all the drains that go under the barrier? This looks like a big exercise in futility to me.

The time, effort and expense involved in making this barrier would have been better used dredging klongs & installing pumps! Bangkok is essentially flat. Some areas, like Klong Sam Wa, are no more than 20 or 30 cm above sea level. The water is going to get into these low lying areas and it isn't going to leave on its own.

I totally agree. They're completely wasting their time. I live in Asoke, I see all the sandbag walls outside the Banks and hotels, many of which have basement shops/car parks. I've followed a few of the sandbag walls to their ends, only to find that they stop at a crappy wall or in one case, a tree!

Even if these structures remained water tight, if the water rises more than a few feet the weight of the water itself will simply push these single bag width walls right over. Without sounding like a defeatist, if the water gets into Sukhumvit then we're defeated before its even started.

A year from now, all of these grand plans will be shelved, the country's government will again be too busy money and power grabbing to do anything of substantial good as HM has suggested. It takes very little time for Thai people to 'forgive and forget', even if it is a massive flood. And then 5, 10, 20 years down the line when there is another massive flood, the whole cycle will repeat itself.

I don't agree. It's very easy to sit back and bash the Thais for not having the foresight to sort this out before it happened. They didn't act properly because only the poor suffered in previous flooding and Thailand is a class society much the same as the UK and USA. - the difference being Thailand admits this openly.

Anyway, the tables have just turned. The reality of sudden and long term financial loss for the high society business owners as a direct result of the flood are now unavoidable. As we all know money talks, those who make the decisions are now extremely motivated to work together and prevent this happening (at least in Bangkok and it's manufacturing regions) again.

Therefore, competitive (don't laugh please) tendering of massive flood mitigation construction projects will almost certainly be the next big thing for those who can afford to play. I personally think that we're about to see construction of national flood prevention structures/planning commencing as soon as the water level is low enough for work to commence.

Sounds like the operating system is running something in the background that is preventing it closing. Assuming the copy of win7 is genuine then:

Unistall any dodgy apps, toolbars, addons etc.

make sure you have antivirus software updated and installed and run a complete system scan.

do a system clean up (tools, applications menu)

do a system defrag

try again.

If not then adjust you laptop settings so that when you close the lid the computer shuts down or goes to sleep.

IMO - It is only a matter of time before all of Bangkok gets flooded

No one in charge has a clue how to stop it or how to redirect the water

You are probably correct so why not offer them some advice or are you the same as those in charge? Not A clue on What to Do.

Why don't you offer some advice seeing as you're the obvious expert on this subject .

All the guy was saying was that a flood is inevitable in central Bangkok, and I don't see any rules on this forum that state that you must follow a statement with advice. Especially as bad or misinformed advice on this particular subject could cause loss of life.

Would it be too much to ask that before she sails USS KIdd could put some of those guided missiles to good use and take out HQ of the nasty jet ski Mafia?

the taxi situation in phuket is one of the main reasons i dont go there anymore ,they may as well "own " the island .........the best thing tourists can do is stay away completely ,phuket is way over developed anyway ,better to go to one of the other beautiful islands (of which there are many ) and just let the taxi drivers lay around all day ,which is what they mostly do anyway because they are way too expensive !!!!!!

Be careful: Koh Samui is next on the list....

lol. Koh Samui does not use meter taxis. It's been second on the list for at least 10 years.

Hi there,

I own a UK purchased (unlocked) HTC Desire HD. I'm looking for a SIM deal (pay as you go) that offers mobile internet connection and the usual calls/texts.

I will be using the phone in Bangkok so I'd imagine that 3G coverage is available.

Any recommendations?

Many thanks.

Skorz.