MEL1

"and Their Majesties the King and Queen have expressed concerns over how the problem would threaten the health of Thai people as well as national security."

Aye, especially with obvious drug user Chalerm as Deputy PM!

-mel.

Make one, you lazy git!

It's very simple. Take your visa and work permit and 3 months worth of pay cheques and you'll be issued an account within 5 minutes.

Otherwise, bend the rules and risk your money at your own expense!

It couldn't be simpler.

Unless, of course, you want to open an account on a tourist visa, as previous posters have suggested. Nothing to worry about, until you go to get a withdrawal and your account doesn't exist. If you don't want to do it the legal way then more fool you.

-mel.

I hope the security guy still has his job. I mean, if the clip showed the guard let the foreigner in with baloons the guard would probably be fired. Imagine going home to your family telling your wife that you were fired because of a bullying foreigner with baloons.

If the securetiy guy was in fact abussive I dont know about toher coontries but in sweden it is somewhat accepted and expected that workers are verbally abused now and then. I guess it does not work as well in Thailand.

Sadly in Thailand a guard could be fired for hitting a guy back that hit him first. We will have to wait for more to come out regarding what happened before the video but regardless of what happened before the video, this guy needs to be charged with crimes he committed on video. It is a shame the level of respect Thais are expected to show because all force necessary should have been used to stop this guy from entering the ticketed area and especially heading up the stairs to the trains. I want to feel somewhat safe riding the MRT and to know that anyone can simply bully there way past security doesn't make me feel safe. I would feel awful for this little girl to see what I believe is her dad clubbed into submission but that is exactly what should have happened as long as he refused to follow orders by security and/or exit the MRT.

What crimes did he commit on video? Being angry after a whack on the head? Does you you speaky comprendy Eeengleesh?

You lost the plot on this one, no pal of mine!

-mel.

EDIT! You say "We will have to wait for more to come out regarding what happened" - unquote.

Haven't you understood 'hearsay' for the last 3 hours? Jeez, go back to physics!

-mel.

BTS MD to cooperate with police on passenger assault case

BANGKOK, 22 March 2012 (NNT) - Following media reports of a BTS security guard attacking a foreigner, a BTS executive is affirming its full cooperation with police investigating the incident.

Managing Director of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, Dr. Anat Arbhabhirama said the company is ensuring fairness for both parties while conducting an internal investigation into the guard’s behavior. If the guard is found to be guilty of the assault, he will face disciplinary action.

A video clip posted on Youtube showed a security guard attempting to stop a foreign passenger who was holding helium balloons from boarding the skytrain. An argument ensued and the foreigner was seen hit in the head by the said guard.

The man later pressed a criminal charge against the guard with local police.

Dr Anat said that for safety reasons, bringing balloons onto the BTS train is not allowed and is against the company’s policy.

He added that since both parties have formally lodged complaints, the company is giving the police full cooperation in its investigation.

He insisted that passenger safety is the company’s top priority.

-- NNT 2012-03-22

What!! 'seen hit over the head!!!' Not in the youtube vid I saw he wasn't. Came through gate already bloodied. I did however see him shove and try to kick a guard. Another farang was restraining him. 15 pages in....may I suggest a fresh look at the vid as I have just done?

Why would you suggest a fresh look to an after event? The said taking person of the footage had, alledgedly, been in the vicinity of this man's bad handling, and took the vid to portray his bad handling. Why look at an after event?

It's all heresay!

-mel.

My suggestion is because the news clip stated he "was seen hit on the head". He wasn't. not on the vid on page 1 of this thread. A fresh look would make posters see that this news is incorrect. The vid does in no way show his 'bad handling. It shows him shoving, trying to kick and screaming and swearing BTS guards. That's all.

Agreed, it shows nothing of prior events. It shows after events, and if you had been hit on the head you would be pretty aggressive too, so would a smoking Thai monk gun!

-mel..... HERESAY again! :Z

Although very unlikely he was assaulted (not hurt while attacking others) but even if this was the case, his behavior on this video is criminal and I don't use the word criminal lightly.

So did he wallop himself on the head? It's possible, however the eyewitness reports from yesterday's thread would suggest otherwise.

You're just making yourself look even more of a fool than you usually do here.

I'd quit while you are behind.

I'm a fool but you believe that he would have to hit himself on the head if the injury was not do to being "assaulted (not hurt while attacking others) " It is not an assault when it is self-defense.

You'll have to give me links to these eye witness reports that have not been reported by police or in the press. All I have to go on now is a video showing this guy behaving in a criminal manner against very calm and composed security officers.

And you know nothing of prior events, so why would you go on half a story?

Ooops, sorry, balloons cause massive explosions, c.f. your physics knowledge.

Baa!

-mel.

The clip almost looks set up..but maybe just me. Also curious they are looking to find who posted the original Video on You Tube

that is exactly what I thought! For a start how come the camera person was focused on

this person for so long and then when he is going up the steps he knows the camera is

tracking him and why would that be?

If there wasn't something more to this then I would logically assume the person turned on the camera and trained it on the guy because he was already acting in a way that gave the person taking the video the impression he was about to escalate something into something worth capturing on video ...

I would logically assume that the person turned the camera on because the guy had just been belted over the head by a security guard and was bleeding profusely.

I think the headline says it all really: "Foreigner Assaulted At Bangkok BTS Station By Security Guard"

It's a real shame that this has to be twisted into a Thai vs Ferang debate. It's about a security guard that over stepped the mark. Nationality is irrelevant. Security guards are infamous for being wanna be police but most have no powers of restraint what-so-ever.

If the victim was being aggressive and violent it's their duty to call the real police, not to attack them with a weapon. At this point however it's purely speculation that the victim did anything to provoke what would be a charge of Grievous Bodily Harm in the UK.

As for the balloon debate, it's totally irrelevant and absurd.

You can logically assume anything. IT'S still heresay!

-mel.

BTS MD to cooperate with police on passenger assault case

BANGKOK, 22 March 2012 (NNT) - Following media reports of a BTS security guard attacking a foreigner, a BTS executive is affirming its full cooperation with police investigating the incident.

Managing Director of Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, Dr. Anat Arbhabhirama said the company is ensuring fairness for both parties while conducting an internal investigation into the guard’s behavior. If the guard is found to be guilty of the assault, he will face disciplinary action.

A video clip posted on Youtube showed a security guard attempting to stop a foreign passenger who was holding helium balloons from boarding the skytrain. An argument ensued and the foreigner was seen hit in the head by the said guard.

The man later pressed a criminal charge against the guard with local police.

Dr Anat said that for safety reasons, bringing balloons onto the BTS train is not allowed and is against the company’s policy.

He added that since both parties have formally lodged complaints, the company is giving the police full cooperation in its investigation.

He insisted that passenger safety is the company’s top priority.

-- NNT 2012-03-22

What!! 'seen hit over the head!!!' Not in the youtube vid I saw he wasn't. Came through gate already bloodied. I did however see him shove and try to kick a guard. Another farang was restraining him. 15 pages in....may I suggest a fresh look at the vid as I have just done?

Why would you suggest a fresh look to an after event? The said taking person of the footage had, alledgedly, been in the vicinity of this man's bad handling, and took the vid to portray his bad handling. Why look at an after event?

It's all heresay!

-mel.

The clip almost looks set up..but maybe just me. Also curious they are looking to find who posted the original Video on You Tube

that is exactly what I thought! For a start how come the camera person was focused on

this person for so long and then when he is going up the steps he knows the camera is

tracking him and why would that be?

If there wasn't something more to this then I would logically assume the person turned on the camera and trained it on the guy because he was already acting in a way that gave the person taking the video the impression he was about to escalate something into something worth capturing on video ... note that he didn't have the video trained on a crazed security guard clubbing people in the head (who carried balloons) on the other side of the ticket gate.

Definitely proving you are a 9" member, in the brain region. The event had already happened, you know nothing of prior events...... but you know it all, don't you?

Heresay, again...... still boring! As long as there is continued heresay, I will continue with 'boring'..... whilst I do my own thing elsewhere.

What's the difference between a child enjoying balloons and an amateur skydiver?

With the child balloon enjoyment, you might hear "BANG, Thwack! (on the head).......Oh Darn!

With the amateur skydiver you hear "Oh Darn.... BANG, Thwack.... (end of)!

Has anyone one else got Nena 99 red ballons in their head now ?

Please don't! I HATE that song!

It will soon be stuck in your head for weeks.

I runs away while laughing wickedly........

BTSd

-mel.

Edit: Right! Get this one! I know you hate it! ----- "I believe I can fly, I believe......" like a red balloon on the BTS.

Has anyone one else got Nena 99 red ballons in their head now ?

Please don't! I HATE that song!

For those who speak a foreign language but cannot read and understand pictures?

But you know how some signs are so badly translated here that you might start to ignore the English translation.

He might have thought it meant no skinny ties.

+2 for originality.

As for Nisa, judging by the level of your posting, I'd gladly send you ten balloons today for your graduation from Grade 1.

"Naturally, these volunteers will certainly face obstacles"

Aye, like being bought off for large amounts of money by the 'grafters'..... say no more!

-mel.

Balloons are not allowed on electrified rail networks as if the balloon has a line and wonders off in a gust of wind the line will conduct the electricity and most probably kill the hapless person connected to the balloon. This is a lot more relevant on rail networks with overhead lines, as has been mentioned before we don't have solid facts about what occurred before this was filmed but having worked on trains back home, balloons are definitely safety risks on electrified rail networks and I could speculate this whole issue happened because the foreigner was told he couldn't enter with balloons.

My physics teacher taught me that if you rub a baloon, you can get electric charge with will cause spark that set of combustion, which can kick off an explosion.

Dangerous stuff they are.

I don't recall passing my Physics exam though.

Fck me! Is that what they taught you in Thai Physics? No wonder you're as thick as ***t.! Pass? Didn't your parents buy your pass, when your mark was suddenly changed to a C+ from a miserable 30%?

The guy had balloons and his daughter. He wasn't some zombified terrorist, quite clearly.

All this previous heresay is now excalating into complete rubbish. All of it!

Nobody still knows the facts, but is compelled to give an opinion which contains no iota of knowledge. What a load of balloon balls!!!

-mel.

Re: "He wasn't some zombified terrorist, quite clearly" .

So what do they look like then? How about this chap?

http://tinyurl.com/7juh7j7

I'm guessing you would let him cruise past you without a cursory check then or feeling the need to uphold the laws?

Sorreee! He isn't holding children's balloons!

I just wonder what all the farang protectors here would say if this happened in their own country. Man tries to take something onto a mass public transport system in the capital city a few weeks after a (failed) terrorist attack. The Security try to stop him; he gets pushy (that's being polite) and tries to push through anyway;might have or might not have attacked a female guard depending upon conflicting reports, damaged a bin (showing signs of disproportionate anger?) and gets whacked by a security guard. What would the public in your home country say if it happened in New York, Paris, London... well when Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes pushed through a turnstile in London, failed to stop when the guards shouted stop, he ended up getting shot 7 times in the head and most people I know in the UK think "well, he was a fool, and I would rather they topped him and be wrong then not top him resulting in another 100 people getting blown up. Its almost as if because we are expats, we can not possibly be terrorists so leave us alone despite that I have known many Iranians in my time and they can look very western, almost Welsh or Irish?

Although it is rare that security people here actually do do their job, maybe it should be appreciated when they do. I'd rather cop a smack to the head myself and know they were doing a good job than to have the bts go boom, or for the entire train to get done over with Sarin at some point in the future.

How about call police?

Would he have waited around for them to turn up ?

Actually to quote him, he said, "Man tries to take something onto a mass transport system. He didn't say 'balloons for a kid'!

So the original quote of trying to create hysteria is a load of crap anyway!

-mel.

Balloons are not allowed on electrified rail networks as if the balloon has a line and wonders off in a gust of wind the line will conduct the electricity and most probably kill the hapless person connected to the balloon. This is a lot more relevant on rail networks with overhead lines, as has been mentioned before we don't have solid facts about what occurred before this was filmed but having worked on trains back home, balloons are definitely safety risks on electrified rail networks and I could speculate this whole issue happened because the foreigner was told he couldn't enter with balloons.

My physics teacher taught me that if you rub a baloon, you can get electric charge with will cause spark that set of combustion, which can kick off an explosion.

Dangerous stuff they are.

I don't recall passing my Physics exam though.

<Snip!> me! Is that what they taught you in Thai Physics? No wonder you're as thick as ***t.! Pass? Didn't your parents buy your pass, when your mark was suddenly changed to a C+ from a miserable 30%?

The guy had balloons and his daughter. He wasn't some zombified terrorist, quite clearly.

All this previous heresay is now excalating into complete rubbish. All of it!

Nobody still knows the facts, but is compelled to give an opinion which contains no iota of knowledge. What a load of balloon balls!!!

-mel.

Overcome to the land of red villages ...

Sorry, I forgot to add as I've just been reminded after this vid, "face like a bag of hammers, and a set of teeth that look like a well blown harmonica!"

-mel.

I haven't seen so many singled sided self-opinionated posts ever at TV, before this thread.

Nobody here knows what happened before the attached phone-vid started, so how on earth can this fellow be accused of being drunk, after he's obviously been hit on the head. If he is a well respected teacher, as claimed, I'm sure he wouldn't be drinking around his daughter in the day, as teachers just don't. (Good teachers, that is)

To say he's a thug, after he's been hit and is very angry is ridiculous. Nobody knows any details. For all and sundry, with the balloons it may well have been his daughter's birthday, and who wouldn't want to keep her balloons. Heresay, of course, just like the rest of the trash that has been posted here. As for being with a little girl, and the balloons it's ludicrous not to permit him on the train with them. Safety issue my arse!

As nobody knows for sure, until the CCTV evidence is released, if ever, then there is no point at all in making self-indulgent, some racist, some down-right petty, and most based upon uninformed info; posts.

Time to move on, for me anyway.

-mel

The first people that ought to be aware of corruption should be the P.M. and her brother. Maybe a new trend could be started. Ha Ha.

A new trend of corruption was started. It happened to start in 2001!

-mel.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said that next week's nuclear summit to be hosted by South Korea will present a good opportunity to help countries around the world prevent the threats of nuclear terrorism.

Is this her trying to sound intelligent?

Or maybe she's trying to glean information BEFORE Thailand builds it's first nuclear reactor so that when it blows she can blame it on terrorism (although there isn't any here, of course), and not poor quality craftsmanship....

-mel.

thanks smokie, would u recommend any particular reasonably (cheap) place to stay? (with aircon)

I heard it is an overnight boat ride from suratani (or guess that option is available), but i might fly to samui instead, if the boat ride is very long...

Is samui worth a stop over?

The boad ride from Samui is only 2 hours, and quite pleasant.

I have stayed here : http://www.sawadee.com/hotel/kohphangan/coconutbeach/ 3 times in the last 4 years, and always had a super, quiet time.

The beach is excellent, the food is 5* - which is why we returned primarily. The food is Thai and Western, to your choice. It isn't expensive either.

The beach bungalow is best, at about 600B per night, although no air-con. However, being on the beach, the air is cool at night, and a fan, as supplied, is ample. A van drives daily to the local town, and cars are not expensive to hire - maybe 4,000B per week currently.

The venue is quiet, secluded, and yet all available spots of interest are only a short Song Tao, or bus or even taxi ride away.

It is an excellent, family run, friendly place with some of the best food I have tasted - great chef indeed!

-mel.

You guys make it sound so easy. I put way too much thought into this stuff and then either end up buying nothing or some piece of crap thing just to be done with it. This time I am determined to buy some thoughtful gifts. That is why I like the idea of something with a story or something made of like Thai silk or other thing Thailand is known for even if it is some wood figurines made of Teak for my mom and maybe something to do with Muay Thai for my son ... the others can settle for t-shirts with tuk tuk pictures on them or something.

Why not just make a day shopping around JJ Market? Everything you could possibly list, or haven't even thought of but may happen upon, is there at reasonable prices.

-mel.

Yeah, good job by the BKK Police. What about the immigration border police? What about them?

Maybe, just maybe, a shed load are on the payrolls of traffickers? Bad job by the police, in that case!

My first question when reading, was also asked by the Malaysian authorities, "How the hell did she get in, without paperwork?"

OK, smuggled. It's still a poor job by the border police!

However, glad she and her co-captured are safe.

-mel.