JMG

It's all too serious. My Thai girlfriend and her young and old Thai women freinds all laugh like hell when she calls me monkey. Or toot ling dumb. Someone needs to mediate officially and give the Thai back his job and the irishman back his life.

Hi Kawaiimomo and some clarification on the AUD$5K Phuket monthly overhead.

> Honda Jazz THB17,000 Electricity THB1,400

> Villa (1 b/room / sep kitchen & lounge/veranda) in small 7 villa complex with community pool THB18,000

> Gym membership THB2,400

> Live in Thai girlfriend allowance THB10,000

> Gasoline, food, drink (for myself and girlfriend) THB90,000

> Misc expenses THB15,000

MONTHLY EXPENSES TOTAL THB154,000

And that doesn't include buying clothing or a quick trip to somewhere. After 12 month reconciliation of expenses the monthly overhead is probaly more like THB200,000

Thailand priority to meet ASEAN community membership requirments by 2015 mean ENGLISH is number Thai student subject. The Thai Government will hire 2,000 new English teachers starting now so it's agood part time gig for part retirement. Get qualified and then take a holiday in Phuket and Samui. Then contact the Thai Education Ministers Department for part time teaching gigs.

2,000 native English teachers to boost Thai students’ language skills

BANGKOK, 14 March 2012 (NNT) - Education Minister Dr. Suchart Thadathamrongvech said 2,000 English speaking teachers will be hired to teach English language in schools overseen by the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC).

Dr. Suchart said the move is in line with the government’s policy which supports language learning with native speakers. According to the report, the Education Minister has met with Mr. Martin Davidson, the Chief Executive of the British Council, for a discussion over the establishment of English classes in OBEC schools.

The British Council, Dr. Suchart said, will be responsible for recruiting 2,000 native speakers of the English language to teach at the schools. However, they will only be hired on a part-time basis. Each school is expected to pay a partial sum of money to these teachers in addition to the financial support from the Education Ministry if needed.

The British Council will provide electronic course materials which the Education Ministry will then convert to tablet-compatible files. The new teachers are expected to undergo 4 hours of training each day for a period of 10 weeks.

If an official "clown with a name tag and whistle" tells you that balloons are against the rules and that you can not take them on the BTS, it is time to give him the balloons or take a taxi.

That is EXACTLY what I've been saying on the three threads dealing with this event for the past several days Ulysses G. Forget the inconsistencies. Behan could have taken it up with the BTS management after the event, but to ignore a 'clown with a name tag and a whistle' has ended in tears for Behan, and the tears may have a way to run yet, perhaps ending in deportation?? That will be a serious tears event.

JMG I think to put the guy down as a 'monkey in a uniform' is a bit silly, and probably racist. He may not be the top of the intellectual tree (are you?), but he's doing a job, the skill set for which he possesses. Initiative may not be a requisite, but slavishly following the rules most certainly is. You remind me of my father, and what a prick of a man he was. If you don't agree with him, he tips a bucket of **** on you.

If an official "clown with a name tag and whistle" tells you that balloons are against the rules and that you can not take them on the BTS, it is time to give him the balloons or take a taxi.

That is EXACTLY what I've been saying on the three threads dealing with this event for the past several days Ulysses G. Forget the inconsistencies. Behan could have taken it up with the BTS management after the event, but to ignore a 'clown with a name tag and a whistle' has ended in tears for Behan, and the tears may have a way to run yet, perhaps ending in deportation?? That will be a serious tears event.

JMG I think to put the guy down as a 'monkey in a uniform' is a bit silly, and probably racist. He may not be the top of the intellectual tree (are you?), but he's doing a job, the skill set for which he possesses. Initiative may not be a requisite, but slavishly following the rules most certainly is. You remind me of my father, and what a prick of a man he was. If you don't agree with him, he tips a bucket of **** on you.

It wasn't meant to be an insult or taken too seriously. I've laughed off many remarks in my time and I'm certain most do. Lighten up unless you get off venting.

It takes most a while to adjust.

By the time you get to understand the saying UP TO YOU, you'll know what to do.

Thanks for the laugh though. Hillarious........I have a small problem with the owners where I live...........Is there some ombudsman organization.

If you decide to live away from the congestion of BKK and seek a more tropical lifestyle perhaps head to Phuket or Samui but you will probably need about $4,500 per month if you want to rent a good condo in an upmarket secure complex with gym, or rent a small pool villa & join a local gym, also rent a car, eat out regularly and have a beer regularly with the local girls. I do all of this and spend between 4-5K per month. And you could probably find work teaching English in one of the international schools.

In any other major city this would not have even been a public discussion. It's completely unacceptable and illustrates the high level of discrimination in Thailand towards foreigners when a person carrying a childs balloons is actually stopped by a public transport employee who then assaults the guy in front of his 7 year old child. And to top it off, now some imboicile is making threats of violence by telephone. Surely there are far more important matters transit staff can attend to other than hassling and assaulting a bloke holding balloons. Thailand officials want the tourist dollar and yet allow this disgusting abuse of foreigers to occur.In the UK, US, Canada, EEC, HK, Japan, Australia and just about anywhere else, it's not okay to treat foreign visitors like this.

Color is irrelevant.

It's all about a skinny butt, tight lean look and perky firm little boobs.

But no chunkers welcome in any color or race.

i guess farmer girls work harder and dont finish till the jobs done.

i guess farmer girls work harder and dont finish till the jobs done.

Yeah, never close for business.

Are you planning to drive or walk to the gym and from where?

Once only and by text. But she couldn't read or write (English or Thai)?

Could be anywhere in Southeast Asia but has more of that ex-pat in Bangkok or Pat look.

Worrisome. So every 60th person affected

Worrisome. So every 60th person affected

In 2010 The Public Health Ministry reported there were 520,000 HIV/AIDS infected patients and now in 2012 the Ministry reports 1 million. The reality is that the number is probably double the reported 1 million because many HIV/AIDS infected individuals go undetected and unreported. So it's probably 1 in 30 not 1 in 60.

So the OP and other Farangs like the ugly girls from the lowest rung of the Thai social ladder, so what. Thais prefer a more refined look while foreigners often go for a more primitive “National Geographic” look. That could be seen as a good thing. It helps avoid conflict and confrontation between farang and local males.

Everyone should be thankful that farang taste, or lack there of, gives the girls who are unwanted by Thai standards a chance to be socially mobile and gives them a chance at winning the foreign husband lottery.

So the OP and other Farangs like the ugly girls from the lowest rung of the Thai social ladder, so what. Thais prefer a more refined look while foreigners often go for a more primitive “National Geographic” look. That could be seen as a good thing. It helps avoid conflict and confrontation between farang and local males.

Everyone should be thankful that farang taste, or lack there of, gives the girls who are unwanted by Thai standards a chance to be socially mobile and gives them a chance at winning the foreign husband lottery.

If you take body shape & size into consideration straight up, skin tone could be 2^nd or 3^rd on the checklist depending on where you rate the significance of monkey like facial appearance.

If Thais hold light skin Thais in higher regard, does it follow that Thais hold a dark skin Thai females foreign husband in low regard? I guess what I'm wondering is, does anyone actually know if general Thai perception of foreigners is affected by the skin tone of a foreigners female partner.

There was a time in Thailand that if a Thai touched a foriegner they had the book thrown at them - no mercy.

Lately, it seems the police couldn't care less, and its almost "serves them right" attitude with their high and mighty "we're Thai and Thai's do no wrong" attitude. From Jet ski scams to atrocities like this, it just seems these thugs can operate with impunity ...... and all the authorities case about is the odd Russian or Kiwi Body builder that go nuts once in a while: "we have to protect our country from the evil foriegners and foriegn influence".

Thailand either wants tourism and the revenue it brings, or it doesn't. Make up your mind, rule with an iron fist, and make it clear that this kind of thuggary will not be tolerated. Shut down the resort, charge the owners with not vetting their staff correctly and not providing the security they should; throw the perpetraitors to the dogs; make examples of people and hit them where it hurts - in their wallets. But no, what will these clowns get ..... a few years and out in a short stint because the life of a forienger is worth less than the resort owners dog - because believe me if they beat the resort owners dog to death, they would be shot for it!!!

There was a time in Thailand that if a Thai touched a foriegner they had the book thrown at them - no mercy.

Lately, it seems the police couldn't care less, and its almost "serves them right" attitude with their high and mighty "we're Thai and Thai's do no wrong" attitude. From Jet ski scams to atrocities like this, it just seems these thugs can operate with impunity ...... and all the authorities case about is the odd Russian or Kiwi Body builder that go nuts once in a while: "we have to protect our country from the evil foriegners and foriegn influence".

Thailand either wants tourism and the revenue it brings, or it doesn't. Make up your mind, rule with an iron fist, and make it clear that this kind of thuggary will not be tolerated. Shut down the resort, charge the owners with not vetting their staff correctly and not providing the security they should; throw the perpetraitors to the dogs; make examples of people and hit them where it hurts - in their wallets. But no, what will these clowns get ..... a few years and out in a short stint because the life of a forienger is worth less than the resort owners dog - because believe me if they beat the resort owners dog to death, they would be shot for it!!!

Since money is core to this type of crime it only makes sense that Thai Government must enforce penalties which deter all who are responsible. The resort operators must be closed down and fined a few million baht for not maintaining a safe environment. Who expects to get murdered while sleeping in a resort? And the animals who killed this aging couple should be shot in public. If this was the punishment for the resort owners and the murderers, other resort owners would ensue proper process and systems are maintained and thugs would reconsider doing something so unnecessary and so disgusting. An eye for an eye.

The idea of staying leisurely in beach bungalows across Thailand for a few months is fading as a good idea. Having over the years always stayed in resorts and villas within gated secure communities, it was the aim to spend time in more traditional bungalows like at Ao Sene Beach (about 1Km to the back of Royal Phuket Yacht Club Resort), and those on Kata Hill about 100m to the back of the Aspasia and also the bungalows opposite Laem Nan headland at the northern end of Lamai Beach Samui. Unfortunately robbery has become too common place and now seems synonymous with violence and fatality’s.

We hope these incidents are isolated but more lately it’s just become too regular and too vicious. Recently an Italian tourist was stabbed by a group of teenage Thais at Nai Harn Beach, and another group of Thai teenagers knocked a tourist from his motor bike (when riding from Paradise Beach to Patong) to stab and rob him. And now this poor couple are awakened at night in their bed to be strangled and beaten to death. The system isn’t working anymore. Irrespective of the cause, there just is no visible or meaningful deterrent.

It was the front page story in the Thai Rat newspaper a couple of days ago.

According to the article the intruders used the spare room key which they sneaked in and got from the check in desk in the middle of the night. They strangled the woman and later bashed her with a piece of wood, probably a piece of a broken chair. They wrestled the man onto his stomach and then bashed his head to pulp with a hard object. This is how the incident was described in the article.

They made off with 5,200 baht which was divided as follows: 3,000 , 2,000 and 200. The money was to be used to buy methamphetamines (yaa baa). Staff remember seeing the couple wearing gold but apparently none was found.

The killers used the term," phu dii" (upper class types) to describe their victims.

Scum. Bury them.

It was the front page story in the Thai Rat newspaper a couple of days ago.

According to the article the intruders used the spare room key which they sneaked in and got from the check in desk in the middle of the night. They strangled the woman and later bashed her with a piece of wood, probably a piece of a broken chair. They wrestled the man onto his stomach and then bashed his head to pulp with a hard object. This is how the incident was described in the article.

They made off with 5,200 baht which was divided as follows: 3,000 , 2,000 and 200. The money was to be used to buy methamphetamines (yaa baa). Staff remember seeing the couple wearing gold but apparently none was found.

The killers used the term," phu dii" (upper class types) to describe their victims.

Scum. Bury them.

Agree 100%.Bury them alive.

It is a problem, no question, livning in Phuket for four years we were burgled three times, all opportunistic break ins at 4/5 am by very skillful climbers but amateur thieves, just about all of our eighteen niegbours were also burgled at least once in that time. One of the problems seems to be living in farang enclaves which are seen as rich pickings by the locals, even if the farangs who live there are not that wealthy. Another problem is the number of construction camps around the island that contain a lot of transient and often opportunistic Burmese laborers. There's no good answer I'm afraid other than to turn your home into a fortress and that's not exactly desirable since it detracts from the whole idea of living on a tropical island and all that entails.

Thanks for sharing your experience and unfortunately it confirms what I was thinking which is to stay within the boundaries of expensive compounds. It’s a real disappointment not being able to stay safely in bungalows in stunning locations and essentially it's a shame having to abandon the idea of retiring in Thailand.

Hmmm, we may all be assuming he was a small feeble guy, what if he was a strong sturdy 68 year old? (there are many around), started beating the shit out of them and they resorted to picking up things and using them on him? once again,let's wait and see...

Sounds plausible. Husband and wife probably both resisted and met a horrible ending.

My son was forced by 3 Thai men riding along side him one night on motorbikes to stop on his motor bike after he was whacked 3 times with a big chunk of wood. When stationery they threw the keys into the dark, threatened him with the weapon and demanded money. Rather than argue, he pleaded that they all go to ATM. After 5 minutes or so they left him and rode away. My son said he was drunk at the time and thought about arguing or running but didn't. Luckily he appeared to co-operate and was eventually left alone. Crime for money against foreigners in Thailand is now a daily occurrence. The land of smiles has gone to hell. It's only amazing now if you're Thai. Violent robbery against foreigners here has reached epidemic levels.

Does anybody know the name of the resort? I am getting married in Prachuap Khiri Khan in May, and frankly, will want to avoid this hotel.

Terrible, terrible tragedy. How can humans do this to humans?

British Man and his Thai Wife murdered at Jack Beach Resort

Police on Wednesday detained three Thai men for robbing and murdering Mr Michael Raymond, 68 and his wife of two years Suchada Baokhamdee, 52, at the Jack Beach Resort. The detained three told police that they robbed the couple of Baht 2,000, a mobile phone and an ATM card.

Mr Raymond had lived in Khon Kaen for about two years since marrying Ms Suchada Baokhamdee.

As an expat working and living in South East Asia for many years and generally being stuck in congested cities most of the time, I take every opportunity to escape regularly to Phuket and Koh Samui where I always stay in secure villas. Lately I was thinking about spending some time in beach front bungalow style accommodation offered by smaller resort operators but with low season close and traffic reducing is it the view of long time foreigners living in Thailand that perhaps it’s best not to take the risk due to the increasing level of violent robbery taking place against foreigners by local Thai islanders. All I read about lately is how Police capture locals who committed break-in, stabbing and theft and the reason for the crime is due to a need to get money for drug habits. Punishment of the offenders is never publicised which suggests there is no real deterrent. Anyone got a view about beach front accommodation and risk?

I like the way our American friend keeps trolling out tidbits of information, keeping the fish lunging for the bait. Quite entertaining actually.

Stay tuned in for next episode when American pensioners 18 year old grandson in BKK for the first time has chance meeting with 45 year old Thai politician and falls head over heels in love but needs advice on whether to stay in the LOS or leave and return home to his child hood sweet heart and new born Siamese twins in Maine.