NomadJoe

This is why discourse on this topic is impossible. Gun rights advocates will label anyone exposing the truth as "hysterical, loony liberals" spreading "propaganda." Gun rights advocates simply live in an imaginary world. That would be fine with me if it weren't for the fact that thousands of men, women and children are shot and injured or killed every year in America.

It never ceases to amaze me when there is a police shooting in the news, or as in this case, the FBI reports a rise in mass shooting incidents, the liberals come out of the wood work ringing their hands and whining about more gun control. Some of the more loony liberals even call for the confiscation of all firearms in America. Huh???

Apparently the mere mention of the word "gun" puts many of these people into a hysterical rant about the NRA and even the Tea Party. I have even read comments like, "its too bad America can't do what Australia did.

Lets look at what Australia did. They took firearms away from law abiding citizens, and now the only people with guns are law enforcement and criminals. If some fool breaks into a persons home in Australia, the home owner better not harm the person breaking into their home. If they do, they will be held accountable for any injuries this fool receives. In most communities in America, if a criminal breaks into someones home, and the home owner shoots them, the home owner will get a pat on the back. Good job :-)

You post an article published by "Mother Jones" and you think I am loony?

Typical. Shifting the discourse away from the facts and issues and towards generalizations and straw man fallacies is the purest sign of defeat. I humbly accept your acquiescence. Good day sir.

I have years ago. I was never challenged walking though the hotel, and I know others that have too. The problem is parking. I don't buy that if they know you aren't staying there they won't stop you from crossing their property.

Phuket’s billion-baht illegal beach rental scheme exposed

PHUKET: Police have turned their eye away from Phuket’s taxi mafia to the island’s billion-baht illegal beach rental scheme – starting with the role played by Kata-Karon Mayor Tawee Thongcham.

Summons were issued today for 15 people, including Mayor Tawee, who stand accused of illegally issuing permits for local beach vendors to use the public beach land, said Region 8 Police Deputy Commander Paween Pongsirin.

The pricing for the “leases” were displayed at a press conference today: a five-year contract for 99 meters of beach cost 6.25 million baht; a three-year contract for 80m of beach cost 4.5mn baht; and a one-year contract for an undisclosed amount of beach cost 1.68mn baht.

- See more at: http://phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phukets-billionbaht-illegal-beach-rental-scheme-exposed

The women alone who shoots burglars and rapists and saves herself never seem to get in the news. Or the neighbor who grabs a shotgun and runs to save a neighbor from bodily harm never makes the news.

The truth is the average time it takes the Police to arrive in most cities is 15 minutes to 45 minutes, depending on how many police persons have been laid off due to financial restraints.

Who can wait that long in an emergency? Or you call 911 and you are put on hold!

Crime always accelerates in the US in no gun cities like NY, and LA.

This is a great example of the lies, damn lies, and statistics put forth by the gun nuts. Point by point your post is a steaming pile of propaganda.

The reason why the "women alone who shoots burglars and rapists and saves herself never seem to get in the news" is because that very rarely ever happens. It is much more common for people to accidentally shoot themselves, their kids to get a hold of their gun and shot themselves or a friend, or for the gun owner to shoot their own teenage son or daughter climbing in the bedroom window after sneaking out.

The actual truth is response times to violent crimes in progress in urban and suburban areas (90% of the population) is about 4 minutes.

Violent crime dropped drastically in NY and LA since the 90's as more gun legislation was introduced. I will not claim that is solely the result of the tougher gun laws. It would certainly contribute. Most criminologists agree that Clinton is to be credited for the drop in crime by putting thousands more police on the streets.

Back 10 years ago or so you used to have to have two "stickers." (Not really a sticker) One for registration and one for compulsory insurance. The insurance was shaped like a disc.. Now they are one, the pink square.

Pink registration "sticker.

Old tax disc no longer used.

Surely the key is to attach explosive collars to each citizen. That way when the inevitable shooting spree kicks off, the authorities can just press a button to terminate the shooter. Obviously restricting guns won't work or having tougher laws regarding the purchase of high powered weaponry because then you're restricting the freedom to indiscriminately open fire on work places and schools, which is enshrined in the constitution.

"The Second Amendment has been the subject of one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word fraud, on the American public."

- Former chief justice Warren E. Burger.

Really I have no idea at all which are the expectations USA authorities.

People can hold at home AK-47 or what they want for sport purpose, and they can use it as they want in their own lands.

So if some-one has a bad idea may start immediately.

Please just imagine if Thais can hold at home legally AK-47 .....

Yes, but only as a semi-auto unless it was imported before 1986.

Nothing really new in this. Actually a bit of running behind trying to catch up, as many countries in the Western World have modified their laws to try to copy with cyber bullying, cyber hatred, cyber lies.

Err..not really. "cyber criminals have been using the social media as a tool to convey distorted information to cause dissension, post defaming messages..., spread propaganda," Limiting free speech seems to be the main goal of this, the opposite of what you find in the west.

Can't challenge the jet ski guys. The army tried and failed, they are protected too high up. Best to stay away from the beach and Phuket also.

What is higher than the army right now?

Back? They never left. (Except maybe a couple days in Patong.)

It seems very odd that the NCPO orders to clean up the island and it's reputation did not include, if not specifically then at least generally, jet ski's seeing as they damage the image of Phuket and Thailand, create the most negative comments second perhaps only to tuk tuks and taxis. Since it is illegal to operate a Thai flagged vessel in Thai waters without a Thai captains license, this is a no brainier. They make a small number of people a lot of money in the process. It just makes no sense whatsoever to keep them. The only explanation is they are paying big money to officials and police to continue operating. The NCPO claims to be on a huge anti-corruption drive, but they are missing a big opportunity here. They can start with the Marine Office 5, if only they can catch .Director Phuripat with his foot out of his mouth.

The biggest impediment I see so far, to the NCPO crackdowns, is that there is an initial crackdown, and then no follow up, and no enforcement. So, what is to prevent these knuckleheads from coming back? Certainly not the NCPO, who are fabulously weak on enforcement. Are these guys getting arrested, and going to trial? Has anyone served time in prison yet? Are any massive fines being levied? Are any of the jet skis being confiscated? What exactly is being done, other than a weak crackdown? The army runs the risk of becoming a laughing stock, if they do not have the guts to institute some enforcement. Everyone in Thailand, including the army know that if you crack down, and then show an incapability of following it up with penalties, arrests, and follow up enforcement, nothing will ever change. Nothing. And at that point you are doing nothing other than putting on a show. So, are they serious, or are they just putting on a show?

Actually, I would say the NCPO are following up on a lot on other issues. Beach chairs, beach encroachment, taxis. I have seen the Army (actually navy sailors and marines but same same) in Patong many times since the coup as recently as a couple days ago. The problem isn't follow up, it's a conscious decision to not address them. It has been said that the jet skis are exempt from this crackdown. If that is the NCPO's position, then the jet skis didn't need to take the 2 or 3 days off they did, and there is nothing to now follow up on. My guess is there was a local decision, interpretation, made to include the jet skis in the NCPO's orders. Somebody told them to leave at some point. That interpretation has apparently changed.

Two days later and it's still knocking about. Every time I hear the dogs going off I step out with my camera, but it runs into the jungle before I can get a photo. Mrs. Nomad just sent me this. She managed to get a blurry shot of out through the window.

What does "’" in the thread mean ?

I dont see such thing

I see it too. In the header. It's a formatting error when software is unable to display a character. For some reason TV's software doesn't like the apostrophe after "THAILAND". I'm sure a mod will be along to fix it. Also to take it out of caps.

After skimming the link, it is unlikely they will allow this post to stay anyway.

Automatic weapons with extended magazines should be a birth right and handed to citizens as soon as they pop out of the baby maker. Heavier weapons such as 50 caliber machine guns and hand grenades should also be permanent additions in every house. Tanks should be made available to everyone and each neighborhood should have an Apache gunship stationed nearby ready for use.

We all know that if there is a cloud of poison gas in the air killing people, the correct response is to add more poison gas in order to equalize and negate the threat. Yes, more guns, that must be the answer.

Finally someone who understand that one fights fire with (bigger) fire. It's what the US has been doing around the world for the past 60 years with great success.

The US protect their interests with thinly veiled excuses and manipulation, same as every country in the world. A few people in a previous administration even convinced many of us to support the invasion of a country because of 9/11 and WMD which had nothing to do with either. The lies were criminal and those people should be called to task.

However, before you vilify the US, take a look at the direction the axis powers were headed after WW2 and tell me if you think the world would be better off under that leadership. US leaders haven't always make the right decisions, but look at the foreign aid, look at the amount of money and manpower which the us puts into humanitarian efforts. I think some slack should be cut. It is the worst governmental system in the world, except for all the others.

None of this has to do with US gun laws, which to any rational person are completely insane, but will never change without first a civil war.

"Two-thirds of incidents ended before police arrived, though only one ended when an armed citizen not working as a security guard responded with gunfire."

I think this clearly proves that there is a need for less gun control. If everyone would carry (preferably concealed) fully automatic weapons, I can garantee more than one of these incidents would have been stopped by a citizen...

Completely illogical, as all pro-gun rationalizations are.

Arm the public and except the number of "active shooter" incidents and accidental shooting deaths, especially among children, to skyrocket.

Also, just because they can, "everyone" wouldn't carry. Perhaps a few more people would, but most people don't feel the need or have the interest. Most people are rational.

The people that commit mass shootings are expecting to be killed. Knowing there is a better chance that someone might be shooting back is no deterrent to these people in the mental state they are in. It would actually be more of a draw. It would make it more "fun" for them.

If I didn't know better, I'd say good old Marine Office 5 loves tea. For the life of me, I can't recall one good thing that has happened under this guy's watch. Why isn't he enforcing the law which requires anyone riding a jet ski to have a Thai marine license ( whatever it's called)? It can't be because of the tea, could it?

These jet ski and parasail hooligans are taking over the beach and don't even dare to put your stuff down where they are operating, or you'll immediately have a problem with a group surrounding you telling you to move if you know what's good for you.

Yep. This guy has jurisdiction over a great number of problems, none of which ever seem to get sorted.

You could always adopt it.

Awww. That's one lovely lizard

Apparently they can be domesticated.

"Now the number of tourists has decreased because there are no sunbeds, no food or drink deliveries and no massages."

Lol. Well, not really. I fear they may actually fool some people with these kind of lies. Actually, the opposite is true. The whole point of the clean-up is to address complaints by tourists negatively effecting Phuket's image.

"we no longer have jobs.

“We have no money to support our families or provide medical care for them. We have worked in these jobs for about 10 years. We do not have the knowledge to do any other job and we have no land that we can farm.

More nonsense. There is a massive employment shortage in Phuket. Thai people are resilient. I have full faith the 100-200 people this is effecting will persevere.

“Our beach must be cleaned and free of garbage for a good image,”

It's not your beach.

It is, it is everybody's beach.

My point exactly.

Same as Jimi, I had just the dogs going nuts outside. I went outside just in time to see 2m monitor lizard slithered into the small pond behind the house then ran across the road into the klong. They certainly are fast! I don't recall ever seeing one in the wild in Phuket before. What a magnificent creature. A living dinosaur.

It's abhorrent to think someone would want to kill one of these. Shame on you. You disgust me.

"He also said that if taxi is forced to use the same metre rate or 35 baht for the first three kilometres, then they may return to the previous bargaining system again and no metre use which will do no good to passengers"

Making threats to get there way is certainly the Thai way. The jet ski mafia did the same thing. They said if they weren't allowed to operate, thier "staff" would resort to robbing tourists. (as opposed to merely extorting them)