Rorri

Nope, we all show our Thai DL, and get in for the Thai price.

Wrong, it doesn't work everywhere, in fact I was in Chiang Mai only 3 weeks ago, and twice charged the "farang" price at National Parks... after showing my Thai drivers licence.

They need to "crack down" on the drivers. What's with flashing your lights instead of stopping for the red light????

In my years here in Thailand, with the exception of the Mini Vans on the road; They are very dangerous.....The only

thing more dangerous on the road other than a Thai in his new luxury car, is a 70 year old farang in his 5 year old

honda or toyota, that "wants to show everyone how to drive".............

Oh please "mary" go suck it.....your comment is so ridiculous, next time add something sensible and on topic. One question, and I bet you can't give an honest answer. You say 70 year olds, just how many 70 year old farang have you seen driving, how do you prove their age and how do you prove your comment? Seems to me you are a bit short of grey matter.

"discussed the possibility of introducing measures in order to reduce road traffic accidents and other problems caused on the roads by foreign tourists"

So what are these measures they discussed apart from the obvious in this story about cracking down on tourists and collecting money. All that is going to due is reduce is the debt on the BIB's bar tab and not reduce road accidents.

What about streamlining the process for expats to obtain a Thai driver licence for a start. Instead of making them jump through hoops, roll over and beg whilst balancing a baby elephant on their nose simply accept their international licence or countries licence showing yrs of experience. In Australia the process is very simple, you go along to the Roads Corp office produce your licence and if you possess at least 12 months of driving experience you can obtain a licence on the spot. My wife did it in Melbourne, Aust simply filled out some basic documentation, produced identification and her Thai licence showing 5 yrs experience paid the fee and walked out with her new licence. Road Rules are pretty much universal apart from some obscure ones such as those involving trams in the Melbourne CBD.

It is not the Farangs not knowing the road rules in Thailand or lack of driving experience that causes accidents it is the lack of knowledge on how the thais disrespect the laws and drive as tho they are the only ones on the road.

My wife tells me that they have started the advertising campaign for tourists on T.V already, the only problem is that it is in Thai and not many tourists watch Thai television.

Chooka, I don't think you should say Australia overall, however, your statement is completely FALSE, well at least according to VicRoads (Melbourne)... see this http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Licences/NewToVictoria/OverseasDriversLicences.htm and getting a Thai licence isn't that hard, if you already have a VALID licence/s in your own country, in fact it is much easier than a foreigner getting a licence in Oz.

Which part is completely false. It was actually Vic Roads that my wife got her licence.

Go read the site, clearly having a foreign licence is NOT enough.

My wife tells me that they have started the advertising campaign for tourists on T.V already, the only problem is that it is in Thai and not many tourists watch Thai television.

Well there you go! PERFECTLY LOGICAL; to a Thai at least, but NOT to us. I wonder if they have got any more bright ideas?

Maybe one day someone will turn the light on, but I very much doubt it. Xenophobia at its Thai best.; they'd win gold medals for this event hands down!

The "light" is a farang invention therefore does NOT work for Thais.

I have never seen a Thai policeman give chase and actually stop anyone for a moving violation. I'm sure it must happen... Maybe the highway patrol guys do it sometimes out on the highways. But I have never seen it. Only "checkpoint" kinds of things. The standard kind out in the country, but more often, one comes around the corner and there's a half dozen BiB, looking for people without helmets, or expired/no tags, etc. My vehicles are all licensed properly, and my Thai license has a few more years before it expires. Absolutely hate to drive the truck in downtown CM, and always wear a helmet on the bike. No problems with the BiB so far. The only accident was in the truck, back when it was new, and a Thai woman decided there should be five lanes on the airport highway instead of three.

I have seen one cop giving chase, this was in Patong, I was sitting quietly enjoying my morning coffee, when I heard a "commotion", looking up I see this guy on a "big" bike motoring along, maybe 80k's/h, weaving in and out of traffic, so far fairly normal, but then comes the pursing cop, on his 125cc scooter, one hand on the handle bars, the other, and this made me laugh, holding the whistle to his mouth. So funny watching him blowing madly expecting the other guy not only to hear him but also to stop.

"discussed the possibility of introducing measures in order to reduce road traffic accidents and other problems caused on the roads by foreign tourists"

So what are these measures they discussed apart from the obvious in this story about cracking down on tourists and collecting money. All that is going to due is reduce is the debt on the BIB's bar tab and not reduce road accidents.

What about streamlining the process for expats to obtain a Thai driver licence for a start. Instead of making them jump through hoops, roll over and beg whilst balancing a baby elephant on their nose simply accept their international licence or countries licence showing yrs of experience. In Australia the process is very simple, you go along to the Roads Corp office produce your licence and if you possess at least 12 months of driving experience you can obtain a licence on the spot. My wife did it in Melbourne, Aust simply filled out some basic documentation, produced identification and her Thai licence showing 5 yrs experience paid the fee and walked out with her new licence. Road Rules are pretty much universal apart from some obscure ones such as those involving trams in the Melbourne CBD.

It is not the Farangs not knowing the road rules in Thailand or lack of driving experience that causes accidents it is the lack of knowledge on how the thais disrespect the laws and drive as tho they are the only ones on the road.

My wife tells me that they have started the advertising campaign for tourists on T.V already, the only problem is that it is in Thai and not many tourists watch Thai television.

Chooka, I don't think you should say Australia overall, however, your statement is completely FALSE, well at least according to VicRoads (Melbourne)... see this http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Licences/NewToVictoria/OverseasDriversLicences.htm and getting a Thai licence isn't that hard, if you already have a VALID licence/s in your own country, in fact it is much easier than a foreigner getting a licence in Oz.

Cheek.

Then again I suppose it must be difficult for Americans and Europeans to get used to driving on the correct side of the road, I could see many of them getting into trouble, unlike we Brits who are naturally superior drivers due to our advanced testing, and knowledge of how to drive on the right.

I don't know why you guys couldn't just follow our lead. We tell you not to form your own government but nope, and look at you now, government is shut down. We tell you not to start the Euro but nope, you had to go ahead and cause a financial crisis, and now your over here annoying the Thais with your bad driving habits.

Strewth. Maybe we should restart the Empire and sort you lot out.

Seems you could be part of the problem, I thought you poms drove on the same side, of the road, as us Aussies, the left. Our cars are right hand drive, but we drive ON THE LEFT. Having said that, and yes I know it was poorly written, by you, I guess now we must ALL learn to drive like Thais...God help us ALL, as many Thais drive on both sides of the road. Why is it that Thai authorities are so blind to bad driving habits, by their own people? Am thing it really is caused by farang, after all, if farang did not invent cars or motorbikes, there would be no problem, Thais would still be on the back of a buffalo, which seems to have more road sense that it's human passengers.

No!!!

I was an English teacher for 13 years here and disagree. Many luuk kreung were spoiled and many were from broken homes. My kids aer aboce average in their class but not geniuses. Obviously their English is well above the rest.

You taught what? No wander Thai kids have trouble learning English.

do all these dogs wander around? are they all in fenced yards? what are you suggesting? someone went around and had multiple poisoned doggy treats? for what motivation?

I am an animal lover. Always have been. However since coming to Thailand, that has waned a lot. I am unable to go for a nice long walk as no matter where I go, dogs will chase me down and show no fear when there are 3 or 4 of them. I have had to adjust my walking route so many times that now I am at the point of desperation. I can see the motivation for wanting to kill these dogs. I wouldn't do that but letting packs of dogs dictate my life is not something I want to happen. The owners don't seem to care.

Um...we are talking a dogs aren't we, your description "show no fear when there are 3 or 4 of them" describes the way many Thais assault foreigners.

Last night my wife and family returned from a day trip to the big Wat in Chachoengsao. Which the MIL loves to visit.

On their return my wife baled out of the big nosh up at her mother's place and came back to my place where she told me she didn't want to eat anymore Thai food.

OK, says I, how about a (pan) toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwich then?

She devoured it as if she hadn't eaten for a week!

I think I did too good a job teaching my wife to become 'falang'.

Mmmmm, toasted ham, cheese and tomato, got me off to the kitchen...

The biggest problem to the internet not working correctly comes directly from your provider and Thai internet in general. The general part is that most ther countries see Thai internet as having a very large amount of spam and other issues (malware, scams, ect) so when you try to connect from a Thai ISP, you will be rejected or other means, will be employed to stop your usage. Then there is the "official stance" where the gov't controls the net and will only allow what they want you to see or know. The list goes on and on. The net runs itself and the ones who allow us access are the reasons it doesn't work.

Can you actually justify your comments. I have never experienced any of the issues you have made.

I will occasional use internet explorer and every so often it tells me that this version of internet explorer will soon cease to support chrome. I am just about tech challenged and have no idea of how to upgrade it.

For the most part I use Mozzila Google and still occasionally have to put a u tube on pause play a game of solitaire and come back to it.

Um, Internet Explorer has nothing to do with chrome.. as for Mozilla Google...man you really need a mate to teach you a little about computers but more specifically browsing the internet, you really are confused or confusing.

It's not the job of the Embassy to hold the hands of people that want to go into countries and contravene their laws The sooner my fellow Brits grow up and examine the single line which is most relevant to us in the OP the better.........

and the embassy wouldnt intervene unless I could not get a fair trial.

Personally, I'm fed up with these spoon fed morons coming over here and thinking that the Embassy is an extension of the welfare state. It's not.

Grow up and face the consequences of your actions.

I thought he was being sued for exposing the exploitation of foreign labour in a human rights report. Didn't realise he'd broken the law. What did he do? Unless exposing human rights violations is a crime of course.

Laudable as his campaign appears to be, the British Embassy, which by dint is an extension of the British government, cannot allow itself to get drawn into every campaign by every activist Worldwide. It's a ridiculous proposition, we would end up with 20 layers working full time in every Embassy bailing out crackpot British nationals that dream up some new obscure campaign. It can't happen.

Which law did he break? Well I don't know but I lay you odds that defamation would be in the frame somewhere along the line. The guy is fluent in Thai, you would expect him to be wise to some of the archaic and ridiculous laws that riddle this country.

That's as may be , my complaint is a "campaigner" thinking the he can run to the Embassy for help when the going gets tough. What does he expect them to do? Swoop in and bypass Thai law and procedure? Not a chance of that happening, not a chance and rightfully so. Reverse it, what would you say if the Thai government tried to influence the British legal system? You would be manning the barricades.

There are far too many British infants abroad. Seriously, they need to grow up.

I believe you are right in saying he is charged with defamation, the problem is he DIDN'T defame anyone, or any company, he did do research, I believe for a finnish company, it is they who posted the material, so by law, well most definitions of law, it is the Finnish company that should be charged.

As with most I think, if I had time I'd leave with my family - we are all dual citizens so no worries. If a surprise attack, I would fight to protect my family - its been a long time since I served in any way, but I can still shoot a rifle - just don't ask me to run a marathon!

However, would insurgents from the south be foreign invaders or would it be a civil war (north vs south) with, in your scenario, Malaysia backing the south (like USA did in Vietnam and Korea - still civil wars). In which case staying out would be the best and safest policy for us and our families as foreigners.

I would think in such an event that our embassies would start evacuating us with a battle field treaty of both sides to get foreign civilians out.

Seriously if it came to Thailand needing to ask us for help, then its pretty much all over anyway! It would much more likely be foreign powers that intervene if anything.

How would you protect your family, as a foreigner you can not, legally, own a firearm.

You will receive a 5 year licence this time and you need to watch the one hour video - more like 40 minutes. So you need to get there about 09.00 as the video in English is only shown about 09.30 each day. Arrive later and you will told to come back 09.00 the next day. Also you will need to take the reaction test, depth perception test, and colour blindness tests. Takes a few minutes before you sit down for the video. And you will need original passport and WP to support the photo copies.

Received my 5 year licence early last year, in Phuket, didn't have to watch the video, or do any other tests. Did need a letter from a doctor, , a copy of my rental agreement, photocopy of my passport details and visa, and of course, fill out the application.

The thing I don't understand is when the wife and I pull into a servo, on separate bikes, ans want them both filled, they fill hers then reset the bowser then fill mine, then add the two prices. Why not fill hers the, without resetting things, fill mine. Am I paranoid, or is there a technical reason for this?

Funny thing about this is that the driver and front seat pax are required by law to have their seat belts fastened. Not so those riding in the truck bed!!

TiT!!

Mac

Ever try fitting seatbelts onto the truck bed.

Are we all surprised at this report ? I for sure am not. This sort of activity goes on just about every where here on 'Paradise Island'. I really hope this DSI mob clean it up, but money always talks here on Paradise Island.

Sorry LIK but in case you hadn't noticed, TV users have renamed Phuket "Island of hate & pain." Please from now on, refer to Phuket with this name...

Oh... I've been naming it "Corruption Island."

Disgraceful poor Thais have to suffer this flooding again and agin while the Thai fat cats go to their clubs, have their fancy lunches, chauffered cars, and go to hang around with other Thai fat cats and look at these photos of the helpless little people. It would be interesting to know how much flood charity money the Thai fat cats donate all the time and to which known charities?

For some reason the French Revolution and the beheading of Marie Antoinette, come to mind.

Your only option is clearly identified in post # 2! MOVE! I would believe all day and early morning, but not all night. Chickens normally roost at sundown and all's quiet until early morning. I have scores of chickens and that how it works here. At night the noisy roosters are replaced by the Tocay Geckos and frogs! I just play music all night!

My neighbours cock started crowing at around 2:30am... no sun at that time of night, thankfully his wife and kids couldn't sleep, so either he and his cock left or he got rid of his cock...sorry am laughing while writing this, he is still there, the noisy cock is gone...yay..

Heavy cloud, in Mukdahan, and can see rain in the distance, about 5 k's, towards Lao. So far no wind.

Why is an assault a non criminal charge

read between the lines..in other words it will all be swept under the carpet

Because assault, by definition, means NO contact, if contact is made it is battery.

The police have been very cunning and at the same time thumbing their noses at tourists. They have charged this operator with assault, legally assault means NO contact, if contact is made, it becomes battery. So, guess what is the lesser charge and who will get off scot-free?

I do not understand why people keep hiring these jet skis ....

TAT...Tourist.Authority.of.Thailand...needs.to.make.a.little.(or.not.so.little!).booklet.for.tourists:"Be.Careful.in.Thailand!"

Of.course,it.would.scare.people.off...There.are.getting.to.be.just.too.many.things.to.be.on.guard.for.here.

AND,of.course,TAT.could.and.would.never.do.such.a.thing.....

Thus,no.warning.for.tourists.about.jet-ski.rentals....Who.is.going.to.warn.them?

(please.excuse.my.keyboard,which.is.lacking.a.space.key.thus.the.excessive.use.of.periods.(period))

A great Idea .. Start with 3 Quick " DONTS "

1. Dont Hire a Jet Ski

2. Dont attend full moon Parties

3. Avoid Taxis ..But Never do Tuk Tuk's

The above will solve 70% of the problems .

That's 2 "Don'ts" and 1 "Avoid." Am assuming you did mean "Don't" NOT "Dont" or "DONTS."