NoshowJones

I guess there are strange customs and practises everywhere. Such as the funny wigs in British courts...

Thailand is the hub of pointing of suspects and crime enactation.

How right you are about funny wigs, they prance about like transvestites in the British courtrooms. The country just cannot come into the 21st century, and what about the fancy titles, the Sirs and Lords.

They actually put it to a vote in Australia and they are still wearing robes and wigs except in Federal and high courts. It is merely a custom once to show all as equal before the court.

Yes Mr Chooka, but I don't see what showing all is equal has to do with it. They just look so stupid, this is the 21st, not the 18th century when wigs were fashionable. Does Australia have the Sirs and Lords too?

I guess there are strange customs and practises everywhere. Such as the funny wigs in British courts...

Thailand is the hub of pointing of suspects and crime enactation.

How right you are about funny wigs, they prance about like transvestites in the British courtrooms. The country just cannot come into the 21st century, and what about the fancy titles, the Sirs and Lords.

For many wealthy politicians and officials now, corruption boils down to simple greed and never knowing how much is enough.

Well Thailand, there's a simple answer . . . stop voting for them.

The problem is that corruption is endemic at all levels. Free and fair elections will never happen until the scourge of vote buying stops. One wonders what the turnout at the polling booths be like if no vote buying occurs. 20% or less? Most people wouldn't be bothered because of the belief that all politicians are greedy and it really makes no difference who is in power - so take the 500 baht and vote for that party.

Take the 500 Baht then vote for a different party.

Corruption and graft is a huge problem and in Thailand Thais are witness to it from the day they enter their first school. Thai children school grades are not according to their abilities as no Thai child fails but his or her grades are influenced by the amount the parents paid extra to the school for higher marks.

Most foreigner teachers work without work permits but the schools and their agents still receive their near 60,000 baht for the foreigner teacher of which the foreigner teacher generally receives less than 30,000 with the balance going to the agents 20,000 and the school 10,000 or the school retains 100% of the amount not paid to the foreigner English teachers. We know this can only exist by paying graft to the school investigators.

Graft and corruption exists in most every government. U.S.A. president after president has proven how they fix elections, lie to their citizens and how they take care of their big business buddies and their war machine.

Thailand's graft and corruption is rampant, extremely visible and out of control at the schools, the post office, immigration and all levels of gov't!

Good post, but I do not believe that most of the foreign teachers work without work pemits, in the past, yes, but not today. The risk is too great for both the schools and the teachers.

In danger of being run by thieves....!!! It already is by a people's court convicted criminal out of Dubai. The joke is that even the writer of this thinks it is only someone who they can label as just a thief. Does it not even register that when a criminal convicted by the countries own courts is running the country de facto from abroad then the problem is more than thievery.

America, one of the biggest countries in the world is run by thieves, I know from personal experience. To cut a long story short, while I was still in the UK. I paid the American Government money for a service, when I said I did not wish to take the service after sending them a cheque, I asked for my money back and they just kept it. Maybe someone will have different experiences, but I have never paid any money to any part of the Thai government, not had the service and them still keeping my money.

SE asia, you know the rules, they don't laugh with it as in EU countries

if you can't stand the death penalty, don't start to be a dealer in the first place

lots of honest jobs to do

even prostitution would only be selling her body for money, more honorable than selling illegal drugs for profit

And what precisely is morally wrong with selling cannabis, a drug which is proven to be less harmful than alcohol? Do tell us where your wisdom comes from.

It is not so much the taking of cannabis, it's what it leads to that is the problem.

This is great news and quite right in my opinion. We have already paid into the system so we deserve to use it when needed.

Sorry about slight change of topic, but OAPs have paid into the system all their working lifes, and still don't get their annual increases. Pure theft by the UK Government.

Deja vu anyone?

Well, you know my son is a policeman, I just thought I`d tell you that my other son is thinking of joining the force now.

Did he find out from his brother about all that tea money?

Cheerio ole chap back to blighty for they.

I thought the UK was full of illegal immigrants,seems its just as bad here now a days.

I bet it is not. The uk could learn from Thailand.

it takes them 20 minutes to say "go down the road and turn left at the next street", they simply cannot explain things, dont know why but I am yet to find anyone here that doesnt prattle on giving a heap of useless info and not getting around to the simple directions needed.

Even the best Thai English speakers find it hard to give you an explanation about anything. you can make out every word they say very clearly. Another way to put it, they will use 100 words when only 10 are needed.

There's nothing wrong with Thai banks. The problem is you for lack of due diligence, and preparation, prior to coming to Thailand. Who, or what is Scottrade? Are they a bank? I've never heard of them. If you've been in China for three years why haven't you got an ATM card with a real bank such as HSBC or Standard and Chartered? Also, if you're using a credit card you should've arranged with Scottrade to make sure there was no security block on the card when being used in Thailand. Many credit cards have this security measure in place. That's why the ATM's were showing "invalid transaction." It's your screw up for lack of preparation prior to arriving here. I've been using SCB for the past 10 years and never had a problem with them in Thailand or in other countries in the region.

Great post, but I have to say my experience with SCB are somewhat different.

Hi Stevenl, I live in Central Thailand and come from Scotland.

then why the irish flag,,,,,,?????,,thats not in the uk,,last i new unless they applied to come back into the fold,,,need another bailout,,,,,,,

I was waiting for that, there is a reason for the Irish flag, but it is not for this forum.

send me a message then geezer,,,,,im all ears,,,,,it cant be as bad as this poor sod whose geing hung drawn and quartered,,by some on here today,,,,,

I will need to think why someone should call me Geezer.

Hi Stevenl, I live in Central Thailand and come from Scotland.

then why the irish flag,,,,,,?????,,thats not in the uk,,last i new unless they applied to come back into the fold,,,need another bailout,,,,,,,

I was waiting for that, there is a reason for the Irish flag, but it is not for this forum.

Hi Stevenl, I live in Central Thailand and come from Scotland.

Thank you, another immigrant.

So? Aren`t you?

He is probably a tourist.

There is nothing wrong with emigration if it is controlled, us expats are contributing to the Thai economy, if we all suddenly go back to our own countries, do you think the Thais would be happy about it? most of the emigrants to the UK are there for the free hand outs, free housing and benefits. What country are you from?

Any girl who threatens suicide is bad news. Big time. Nevermind a hotline, does she have any family? I'd contact them pronto.

Good advice, and what about some expert help? If she is depressed, then take her to the Doctors, I wish you both all the best.

Hi Stevenl, I live in Central Thailand and come from Scotland.

In my opinion, deportation is enough punishment. Jail time for overstaying is OVER the top.

Maybe Jingthing, but I wish the UK would follow most of Thailands immigration rules.

You realise there would be many more immigrants than there are now?

How do you make that out? the UK is overflowing with emigrants because of the last Labour governmnent and their hand outs. There is no way that would happen in Thailand.

In my opinion, deportation is enough punishment. Jail time for overstaying is OVER the top.

Maybe Jingthing, but I wish the UK would follow most of Thailands immigration rules.

I guess it is to avoid misunderstandings

I learned the Thai numbers to avoid bothering about calculators, then I found out that I could not understand what the person trying to sell me something was saying, so I have to ask them now to use the calculator.

Every foreigner i know, who lives in the provinces drinks alot. I think it is about boredom. There is nothing to do. Especially in the villages. No stimulation. They all get drunk or drink alot. How very boring in itself, if you ask me.

I say your 'boredom' hypothesis may have some weight, but that is a symptom and not a root cause, IMHO.

I cite the environment and that particular Thai culture (indigenous native) as the two primary root causes.

Did the American colonists, when faced with a similar isolation in the newly-colonized North America resort to alcohol as an escape mechanism from what could have been a similar boredom?

NOTE: I offer the above as a rudimentary hypothesis, as opposed to any kind of formal theory. I have purposely limited my time in remote Issan settings for fear of ... boredom due to the huge cultural gap between me and the indigenous (native) population, not to mention a host of other issues.

I have personally observed a similar cultural gap between indigenous people/culture (Piute indian) and caucasian (farang) farmers and settlers in northern Nevada. I'll spare everyone the details, but drinking among the Piute community was definitely a factor.

Can I just point out that the 'American colonists' were actually British.

Hang on a minute. Don't just blame us Brits there were French and Spanish as well as others.

But the British have a far worse history than any other country, don't forget that we ruled two thirds of the world only a century ago.

it always gives me a bit of a chuckle when NON drinkers have a pop at people who drink... drinking is fun.. you cant beat a beer on a hot sunny day...

missing the point, are we?

consumption of a beer (or two) is NOT the same as drunk.

drunk = vomiting, fighting, crying, falling, pissing your pants, talking loud/nonsense, thinking u're 20 and athletic when u're actually 65 and hugely overweight, etc.

drunk = believing that a 22 year old cute bargirl actually fancies you (a 65 hugely overweight farang).

btw. me thinks you can't beat a glass of cold soda water on the rocks with a slice of lime on a hot sunny day. De gustibus...

Have you not read the latest health warnings about soda?

If you believe in all those health warnings over the years, you may as well just stick to drinking water.

Every foreigner i know, who lives in the provinces drinks alot. I think it is about boredom. There is nothing to do. Especially in the villages. No stimulation. They all get drunk or drink alot. How very boring in itself, if you ask me.

I get plenty stimulation in the village I live in and I only drink at the weekends

That might change if Hearts end up like Rangers.

As for the Thai and their heavy drinking? Hate to sound cynical, but not my problem.

true, until they run over you with their pick up or u get hit by a lost bullet...

(the last happened behind my corner 2 weeks ago after some "local" dispute. 1 girl who had nothing to do with it got hit and died).

You are dead right, I take back the "like" I gave to Just1voice.