MEL1

Yeah, it being April 1st I was going to start a topic about the new long-term stay visa being offered by the Thai consulates starting today for those under 50 years of age.

It was especially intended for those farangs living in Pattaya and wanting to stay in Thailand for one year without requiring visa runs.

It would have been called the "Long-Term Resident Boozer and Loser" visa or the "L-TR B @ L" visa.

I was going to tell everyone who wanted one it would only be offered on Walking street in Pattaya tonight, so they should take their passport down there tonight, dressed only in their umderwear.

They would have to carry an opened bottle of beer, and yell,, "Where's my g---d-mned 1 year visa?", so the police could find them and take them to the police station to issue them a visa.

But I didn't do that, because I figured there just might be a few TV forum members who would actually DO such a thing,

... Funny, but slightly exaggerated circumstances...

I'm sure one or two would have replied with, "really?" - though.

-mel.

'Duke University's Fuqua School of Business'

I thought this was an April fool prank that I was not getting having read this.

-mel.

OK OK......

Belated April fools......

-mel.

lets see, how much bail would be and imagine an extra large envelope for the cops and judge

He's not charged with anything in Thailand.

Neither is TS according to the current PM, Deputy PMs and the following chirade of losers that back up the chirade!

Happy SongKhran to all of them, and please be careful that you don't drown in your own drivel.

-mel.

It really does depend upon where you buy, for the reasons you buy, and what projections for where you buy are relevant to resale.

My wife bought a condo, with my help of course in finishing the payments, 6 years ago for a meagre 240,000 Baht in Prawet, near to Seacon Sq, as Paradise was being completed. Prawet is also a majot chemical factory producer, with many farang coming for 1 or 2 year contracts, and not having 1 iota of condo rental costs have been happy to oblige with upto 5K a month, for a single room condo, although it does have a separate w.c. with BATH!

The current same size new condos flying up in Prawet are also empty, yet selling for 800,000 upwards. Our condo is now valued at 400,000, and yet, fully paid off, is paying fine income whilst still increasing in value. Not time to sell yet, and we haven't tried, but my projection is that in a sole year's time we will easily sell for 500,000. Now that's decent investment and return, even if on a small scale!

-mel.

"In South Africa he is seen as a major business leader with interests in mineral water, security and ostrich farming.

Investigators believe he is also the owner of a hunting ground popular with the rich and famous, and an investor in a company in Angola that specialising in precious stones.

He was also said to be the owner of a diamond cutting business."

These seem pretty good reasons for South Africa refusing to extradite him.

I know of another mafia boss with strong connections to diamond mining and high investments in S.A. Shame he doesn't go and live there fruitfully, and shut up, too!

-mel.

Urgent: The Chaopraya overspill and side canals in Mueng Ake, adjacent to Rangsit University, currently saturated, were dredged 4 days ago. As a result, more water has traversed into the canal underground and is now filling roads and small shops with water. It is expected that 1m will possibly rise in the next four to 5 hours.

All those within the University and surrounding compounds and residences are advised to move belongings upstairs, yet again, as the influx of water is currently only an estimate, and real volume rise is unknown.

Great Hey!

-mel.

Stayed at the Lee Gardens Hotel a few times and parked my car underneath. Makes you (me) think.

Is this inadmissible in court?

-mel.

An Italian mobster, wanted by a foreign country, is arrested when arriving here. That's it. Where the hell does Thaivisa find the people commenting on threads like this? I guess at expat bars where they exchange there experiences with the Thail legal system. Just pass on the Chang mate and we tell you how it works here. Mix this neocolonial bunch with some 'Thailand lovers' abroad and you get the kind of slanderous comments this forum is famous for. I really wonder what these people are doing here or why they came to Thailand. Most probably haunted by the flawless jnudicial system and impeccable police force in their very civilized home countries.

surpris surprise:

Where the hell does Thaivisa find the people commenting on threads like this?

I really wonder what these people are doing here or why they came to Thailand.

and look who .... (you ) is commenting and reading this things !!!!!!!

Beat me by 2 seconds.......lol.

-mel.

An Italian mobster, wanted by a foreign country, is arrested when arriving here. That's it. Where the hell does Thaivisa find the people commenting on threads like this? I guess at expat bars where they exchange there experiences with the Thail legal system. Just pass on the Chang mate and we tell you how it works here. Mix this neocolonial bunch with some 'Thailand lovers' abroad and you get the kind of slanderous comments this forum is famous for. I really wonder what these people are doing here or why they came to Thailand. Most probably haunted by the flawless jnudicial system and impeccable police force in their very civilized home countries.

What a strange comment. Nobody asks you to read this forum. If you don't like then go to other sites.

Slanderous posts are removed by Admin, so I don't know what axe you have to grind here.....

-mel.

"He added that it wouldn't be imported in future. Phenylephrine medicine, which was more complicated and could cause an explosion if turned into narcotics, would be used instead, he added."

Jesus H Christ! Don't feed the Muslims ideas.......

-mel

About an hour ago the news reader on TV was talking about a bomb. So I guess we can now rule out the "gas explosion" theory?

It smells a bit like the local government trying to do damage control and keep the tourists coming in for songkran celebrations. Also it looks like to much of a coincidence to have this happen at the exact same time as the attacks in Yala. To me, it looks like the style of bombing we had a few years ago in Hatyai, except a bit bigger bombs this time around...

Yes, and also be aware that, and I don't like to bring it up, but 9/11 bombs were placed in the basement of those buildings.

It is to be established whether or not this blast came from McDs or the basement, and if it was the latter then basic or advanced terrorism mimicks what was already known. Go from the basement up with a car bomb. Sorry to put a downer on this, but this could be more organised than originally perceived. Only a thought.... as we don't know much yet. However, there is no terrorism in Thailand - this is the 'amazing' land 2012.

-mel.

You're not up to date; this is now 'Miracle Thailand' according to TAT and Politicians. Seems to me the only miracle here is survival !

Actually, in mentioning survival, I think the poor fire servicemen, with half the supplies necessary, must have done a pretty good job today.

Initially the reports were 200 trapped. They smashed higher rise windows soon enough, to let the smoke out, and all those people we saw on the footage got to ground level safely. Under the circumstances for such few, even though horribly sad, to die it is quite a miracle not many more perished in what was potentially a high rise fire, yet again.

Hat's off to the guys in orange, and sandals now and again!

-mel.

The PM did just hail her success though. So she must be doing something right?

-mel.

About an hour ago the news reader on TV was talking about a bomb. So I guess we can now rule out the "gas explosion" theory?

It smells a bit like the local government trying to do damage control and keep the tourists coming in for songkran celebrations. Also it looks like to much of a coincidence to have this happen at the exact same time as the attacks in Yala. To me, it looks like the style of bombing we had a few years ago in Hatyai, except a bit bigger bombs this time around...

Yes, and also be aware that, and I don't like to bring it up, but 9/11 bombs were placed in the basement of those buildings.

It is to be established whether or not this blast came from McDs or the basement, and if it was the latter then basic or advanced terrorism mimicks what was already known. Go from the basement up with a car bomb. Sorry to put a downer on this, but this could be more organised than originally perceived. Only a thought.... as we don't know much yet. However, there is no terrorism in Thailand - this is the 'amazing' land 2012.

-mel.

My wife knows an ex-student of hers works at Mc D's. She said they don't have gas.

I did a bit of googling myself, and MacDs latest environmental programs are for all electric, and have been since 2010. They used to use gas in TH, but for environmental issues and costs, as electric is on a par, alledgedly, with gas prices at their franchise outlets and their volunes of usage, that it would appear that McDs don't use gas for cooking in Thailand nor other Asian franchises. Of course, I may well be stood corrected, but early indications show McDs are now all for electrical only cooking, and have been practising this in all new operations since 2010.

A lot of this practise would also be the responsibility of the franchisee, and knowing TIT maybe gas could have been implemented. We shall see, when further accurate details appear, if ever.

-mel.

Five dead, dozens injured in Thailand hotel fire

HAT YAI: -- FIVE people were killed and hundreds injured in a fire yesterday at a hotel in Hat Yai in southern Thailand.

- Bloody hell, it's yesterday already! Must be good food I'm drinking!

-mel.

Would these not be worded as 'terrorist attacks'?

-mel.

It occurs to me that to be a simple gas explosion, there would need to be some considerable time for some gas leak to build up to a concentration that was combustible. I'm not an expert and not sure what type of gas would be used at the Lee Garden Plaza, but I think the concentration would have to get to at least between 2 and 5 % of the atmosphere for the chance of an explosion. It seems likely that someone would notice a gas smell before that amount could have built up. Does anyone have any expertise on this matter? Is it possible that a terrorist could intentionally set an explosive close to a gas pipe in the basement area? Are there immediate signs that would have indicated a gas versus other type of explosion that would have led to an expert guess that this was a gas explosion?

When I lived in the USA a house on our block had a gas explosion. It literally leveled the house to the foundation and threw debris all around the neighborhood, breaking windows and damaging many nearby homes.

A gas explosion is VERY powerful. Would not be surprised if that was the cause here. Usually the Thai terrorists don't make such large bombs.

Thai terrorists? ... a rai na?

Unique wording, and careless wording from yourself there! Mai dai!

-mel.

Regional can be both interpeted as nationally or internationally.

If Chalerm Rubyourbum-g is proposing that the problem is regionally within Thailand, then that would suggest he will propose the regional areas to be concentrated on. That in return would hide any exposure that people in his immediate domain may possibly have any involvement in drug issues, whether they do or they don't, as those areas would be last on the agenda for investigation whilst all trails are cleared up.

Nice one!

-mel.

Is one permitted to 'hail' one's own work? Or should it be left to the experts to judge, based upon the outcome?

-mel.

If you don't use an official dealer, which I always do, then make sure you stay with the watch and see its repair/overhaul.

If you don't then you may just find that your highly bejewelled work of craftsmanship is returned a little lighter than when you handed it it, yet you can't see inside.

It is known!

-mel.

Federation of Thai Industries is probably the biggest outfit there, certainly one of the loudest.

Cheaper baht will affect everybody, not just exporters.

One of the main worries is that there are foreign funds they that can bet against government intervention in currency market and win. Also with rising oil prices making it even more expensive to import will drive inflation even higher, long before income from rising exports will trickle down to common men.

There's also a question of imports - what if flood damaged companies need to import machinery? They already have rising labor cost, all they need is higher import bills to top it up.

So what is your stance on the issue raised in this thread? Do you want the government to meddle with the exchange rate, or do you want the central bank to make adjustments?

Just who is/are the central bank, without Govn't interference?

-mel.

Isn't this kind of hypocracy.what the Red shirts are all about,Burn Bangkok,create Mayhem on the streets,and hold the Country and Government to ransom,in the false name of Democracy,and freedom of speech.

Now that they are in power the rules have changed,any dissent or opposition,must be crushed at source,the same that will happen in the Red Shirt Villages. No Democracy and No Freedom of speach = Villager Slaves to the Party.........like it or lump it,the only choice you have,is what we tell you, (sigh)....haven't we seen this many times before in other Countries?

Yes, yes, yes, we are all doomed.

Won't be long before marauding bands of red shirts will hoeing down people at random on Silom and ripping geriatric farangs from their taxis because their wives / consorts are the wrong age, gender, ethnicity, skin colour......

Now then philw it wasn't that long ago they were doing exactly that is it? Agreed it wasn't geriatric farangs being pulled from their taxis, but it was geriatric Thais been removed from their hospital beds, but the marauding bands of reds hoeing down people at random on Silom is a pretty accurate assessment. Spot on, go to the top of the class. So you don't envisage much new happening, just a repeat of what they did last time.

I am unsure how any educated westerner used to expecting any assemblance of law and justice can fight the Thaksin corner, normally that is a role specifically kept for elitist power crazy wanabee's who are on his payroll, or educationally bereft peasants who believe whatever BS is fed to them (and the odd bereft farang that takes to the red stage seeking their 5 mins of fame). Still it takes all sorts eh!

Sometimes I despair,it's only people like us,with good memories which is stopping the Redshirt Whitewash of 3 months of Arson,Violence,Anarchy,and holding the Country to Ransom, until they got their way.some would call it by it's correct name:... Terrorism.

Actually, if farang weren't here in big numbers I think it would have been a lot worse?

mel.

Private Sector Urges Govt to Leave Exchange Rate Alone

What's the difference between the private sector and the Govn't?

Those that don't own the Private Sector are not in the Govn't.... and they won't make big profits.

mel.