JoeLing

'Corrupt politicians should face death term'

Suppose, as humans are corrupt since birth, we all will eventually been given the death penalty .

I am fully, absolutely against any kind of corruption even if it's to my own benefit, although
occasionally, I might buy one specific brand of batteries because I get a free torch or I might
book a specific hotel because I get FREE wifi, toiletries, airport transfer........ incentives.

If we are giving the death penalty for something as vague as "corruption", tomorrow we will
be shot because someone else's perception of what we just might or might not have done or
what we might or might not believe in.

Who should get the death penalty, the one who receives or demands an "incentive" or the one
who offers or is asked for a donation for a specific service? Would there be a "value" limit
between life imprisonment and death penalty? Eg: Corrupting the gods with candles and mirth
for a better after-life would just give life imprisonment whilst having to pay the waiter 200 Baht
in order to get the nice table down by the beach, the waiter would get shot.Where would be this
line between legal or illegal. Who would the plaintiff be, the donor of a gift or the receiver of
the donation?

What one perceives as corruption, someone else might believe it's an offering or donation.
What one nation, one society or tribe perceives as corruption someone else will not.
We do it every day in a way or an other, be it with our children, at school or at work. We
do it in the temples, churches, synagogues and mosques. Corruption, donations, offerings.
Be it for money, goods or spiritual well being but always for our personal gain.

BUT

If there should ever be a death penalty, I recon first of all we dismantle all religious entities,
ban them for 5 years of taking up office, then shoot them after one year. They all promise
me good luck and a smashing afterlife if I buy candles, mirth, flowers or hang some $$$
to some sticks

Next all political parties, politicians and of course, the tax man. They all promise stuff for
my personal gain if I first vote for them, then pay taxes to them. So same, ban them for
5 years of taking up office, then shoot them right after the verdict. Could be done right

in front of everyone in court by the judge before he shoot's himself.

Let's shoot the Teachers, Receptionists, Taxi Drivers, Traffic Wardens and not to
forget, our parents too, before we shoot ourselves as we all are guilty of corrupting
or being corrupted in a way or an other at some point in our life's

All the US has to do to crush China is to put a 30% tariff on anything imported into the US from China.

Already the US is figuring out how to manufacture things cheaper using technology. Add to that the cost of shipping raw materials to China and then shipping back finished product. Now add in the cost of sending Americans to China to set up and supervise the manufacturing plants so that there is American quality instead of Chinese junk. Already a lot of manufacturing is returning to the US from China.

Start with 3D printing. Now look at the computerized clothing manufacturing which will make, label, and package clothing without human intervention making cheap Chinese labor irrelevant too expensive.

Just do it. Apply that 30% tariff and manufacturing coming back to the US would change from garden hose to a huge river, and China's pockets would be turned inside out.

And once the Chinese close their laundrettes and washing parlours, we will all be smelly and starving

Did they see each other on the horizon and had to take evasive action?
So, just wonder what is considered a "near collision" between warships.

1 mile, 10 miles, 100 miles or even 1000 miles?

Waoo, absolut fantastic bit of journalism, even the postcodes
Now could someone from Pattaya Daily News translate that in to English please?

I might even understand what I'm reading.

Just wonder, do newspapers in Thailand just have a censor to edit and proof read
articles they publish or do they have editors and proof readers employed as well?

Some seriously detailed advice here, thank you all! I think we will probably firstly get our OW as it seems to offer us the chance to fit it into a long weekend (3 days?) where as an OW with AOW all in one seems to take about 5? Which would be doable but would mean waiting until I have that much time off.

Out of interest, someone at work commented on another member of staff being an ex diving instructor or something along those lines and the possibility of doing the theory side through him and then only havign to do the dives with a company. Is this doable or have I misunderstood? If it is an idea what would the benefits be?

Not sure if you'd have any time or financial benefits of doing that as I recon, theory and practice goes hand in hand.

But doesn't mean you shouldn't ask. Competition is so high, Dive Schools are often happy to negotiate a discount.

Got you an other Koh Phangan price list to compare.

( Sorry about the coffee stains )

.diveprices 2.png

That is pretty much right at the low end of Phuket prices, but some places here are selling it at 18k plus, but those places tend to offer a bit more like luxury, private or semi-private courses, experienced instructors, instructors that have work permits (Places like Tao and Phi Phi if they are not Thai they most certainly will not have WP's,i.e.are illegal labor) and also speak the the students native language.

The ones I quoted have definitely fully employed Dive Teachers, not pools of several

"Holiday instructors" "working" sometimes here, sometimes there ;-)

Lessons are available in most going foreign languages, a couple of them have even a Thai DM !!

(although don't know any Russian or Chinese speaking DM yet here on KPG ;-) )

That is amazing help thank you! Sorry I meant LOS not LAOS in my original post lol

Got you an other Koh Phangan price list to compare.
( Sorry about the coffee stains )

.

My wife and I will be living in Thailand, BKK for at least the next 2 years and I have always wanted to try diving as my friends have said great things and that LAOS is the place to do it.

Very sorry but your friends might have referred to "Muff-diving" but sure not scuba diving.

Laos is a Land locked country and the only place to dive is either between the legs of a pretty girl

or the murky waters of the Mekong river.

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As for deep sea diving, well Samui is pretty far away from the dive spots here in the Southern Gulf

of Thailand. Koh Phangan or Koh Tao are much better places to learn but not necessarily the most

beautiful to dive.

Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are supposed to be some of the cheapest places world wide to obtain

your PADI certificate and on both islands, prices are very similar. Although Koh Tao might have

slightly cheaper dive options, life and accommodation on Koh Phangan is considerably cheaper.

Many Dive Schools offer free accommodation and other incentives if you book with them, so do

shop around for the best deals. Just as a guide line, I attached below one of the price lists of one

of the many Dive Schools here on Koh Phangan.

I would suggest you make both, "Open Water" and the "Advanced" certificate in one go, with a

couple of "Fun Dives" in between. Many Dive Schools will give discount if you make them both

together. With the "Open Water" certificate, you will be very restricted in your choice of dive places.

As for diving itself, make your PADI certificate on Koh Phangan or Koh Tao but once you have your

certificates, go dive in the Andaman Sea as there are so many more beautiful places to dive, then

here in the Southern Gulf of Thailand.

If I can help you with more specific info, please send me a mail

Initially Suthep was a good means to lead the protests and try to kick out little sis and her doggies. But somewhere along the line the old guy definitely lost it. Playing Adolf now.

Ohhh I recon it's a well planned and played game but the players are not Suthep, Chalerm or Yingluck.

Since the start of this political situation, some of the key players behind this game became very quiet,

Let others feel in power for a moment and take the blame, whilst the players of the game

and just watch - but I'm sure, in the not to distant future they will be

Initially Suthep was a good means to lead the protests and try to kick out little sis and her doggies. But somewhere along the line the old guy definitely lost it. Playing Adolf now.

Ohhh I recon it's a well planned and played game but the players are not Suthep, Chalerm or Yingluck.

Since the start of this political situation, some of the key players behind this game became very quiet,

Let others feel in power for a moment and take the blame, whilst the players of the game

and just watch but I'm sure, in the not to distant future they will be

..... As a result the country is in a vacuum, making it possible to invoke Section 7 of the charter to establish an interim government to pursue national reforms. .......

Instead of re-re-re-re-reforms every couple of years, whith the same outcome, how

would it be to try to do a bit of maintenance and improvements in this "Dem..idiocracy"?

I personally think that, as foreigners being guest in this country, we shouldn't involve in national matters that we mostly do not understand.

1- We have accepted (for different personal - good - reasons) to have no domestic right.

2- Paying taxes and spending money here didn't change our blood. None of us can become Thai nor can "think Thai"

3- Even after 10 or 20 years here, we will not understand totally the positions of each side.

4- If we want Thai people to respect us, let's start to be respectable. Let's be out of these national matters concerning Thais only.

5- Whatever the government is or will be, if we want to live in Thailand we must follow the rules.

6- If we are not happy, so let's go back to our countries and be fine there ;-)

I am totally against the foreigners who are taking position for this color or against that one, blablabla.

This is kid game played by old kids who have nothing to do in Thai people stories.

I am sure that most of Thai people do not appreciate this kind of behavior from some farangs...

My wife is Thai.

I share some of her points of view, I disagree with some others. I talk with her and try to help her comparing different possibilities, avoiding straight and strong positions.

At the end of the day, I will always back her (and protect her) just because she is my wife, and also because she is bright and totally involve in a positive social life.

But I will never go to protest in the streets, nor I will take any political position in public.

It doesn't mean that I cannot be an observer and have my own analysis of the country and current situation.

But I do know that can understand only a very small part of the problem.

This is my own way to show respect to Thai people who have welcomed me, and to give them a good picture about foreigners as well. As I told above, if we want to be respected we should start first to be respectable.

Any country out of mine that I have visited, I have never got any trouble with local people.

I can hear and read so many complains from foreigners here that I often wonder why they stay in Thailand...

Why do they want to get more trouble by involving in Thai private matters?...

Cheers ;-)

I personally believe, as a host, I will treat my guests with respect and courtesy and try to make them feel like home.

As a host, I will interact with my guests and not treat them like slaves, I will listen to what my guests have to say and

always try to improve relations. As a host, inviting people in to my home I will NOT rob them, beat them or blame

them for what ever might go wrong in my home. On the other hand, I expect my guests to behave and take care

of my home as they would in their own home.

1- You might have accepted that. I haven't.

2 - If I have a duty to pay business tax and income tax, then I have a right to know for what.

3 - To be honest, I don't think many of the Thai politicians fully understand their own positions.

You recon a 22 year old student has more knowledge about his own country then a foreigner

that LIVES in a foreign country, works there, integrates and contributes to that society?

(BTW - I know this 82 year old Thai guy, pure Thai. Never been abroad or has much contact with

foreigners and he doesn't have a clue on any position of any side from any government at all)

4 - Anyone who askes for respect, does not deserve it. Anyone who deserves respect, does not need to ask for.

5 - Where ever we live, what ever game we play, we should follow the rules, not only in Thailand.

6 - This is the most stupid statement of all time, anywhere.

(Just because one doesn't like the cherry on the cake, he shouldn't have the cake?)

I have absolute no problem when foreigners discuss their views here on TV. "Share some of their points of view,

disagree with some others. Talking with other foreigners comparing different possibilities, WITHOUT avoiding straight

and strong positions.

I fully agree with you, if people have to become personal and abusive, even threatening and violent because of

some one else's view, then that is kids game. Played by old miserable kids who have nothing to do in any one's

story. Just like you, I am sure that most of people anywhere would not appreciate this kind of behaviour from some anyone.

PS: "..... avoiding straight and strong positions." Yeah, I know, had to do that with my wife too and she wasn't even Thai

I suppose, just because someone is agreeing to one or an other idea or comment of a person,
and even if that's a crocked person, doesn't mean he supports what ever idea or believes that
person has.

So if one believes that some ideas, comments or actions of Suthep, Thaksin, Abhisit or even
Yingluck made sense, doesn't instantly means, one is backing their party or their own agenda.

To Think like that would just be ridiculous

Unfortunately, if this website is to be believed http://www.activistpost.com/2013/12/a-tale-of-two-protests-ukraine-and.html ( and I believe it to be pretty accurate), in the same way that Yingluck is the square faced fugitive's puppet on a string, Thaksin likewise is America's sock puppet, so America will be backing him as he will do what they want....Bad news for freedom !~

I'm sure many of "Americas Puppets" will remembers American support very well.

Thaksin sure remembers his "Puppet Masters" support in 2006 when the US essentially

approved the military coup that toppled Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Bush's administration at the time, knew well in advance of the coup preparations and

had given a nod of approval. The US public expressions of “concern” had already been

worked out in advance with the coup leaders.

A few postings back on ThaiVisa, people where wondering and speculating

why protesters would march to the US Embassy. [http://ow.ly/rhNsw]

As I said before THIS is why!

Do you really think that other nations don't think exactly like the US and don't say so?

No - what I think:

Ask Thaksin

I'm sure he has some unpleasant memories on Americas anti-democratic activities

in ousting a democratically elected government during the 2006 coup.

Maybe Ahisist remembers it too

So, marching to the US Embassy 10 days back, made perfect sense.

"US expresses strong support" means to me, the US was meddling already a long time in Thai affairs.

Maybe US administration doesn't quite like the Shinawatras either?

A few postings back on ThaiVisa, people where wondering and speculating
why protesters would march to the US Embassy. [http://ow.ly/rhNsw]

As I said before THIS is why!


[ Think it was deleted as the US was not the topic ;-) ]

In Europe we have our yearly "End of Winter Sales".
Everything cheap, cheap.

Here in Thailand we have the yearly "Demonstration Give Take Away Sales".
Everything for free

Will there be an election to decide who will be in the People's council ?

Don't be silly

It's specifically said to be a NON elected council of "Gd Peop.. "

Just wonder what will this Thailand run by a "Peoples Council" made up by "a few good people" look like?

Which example will Thailand follow?
Something like the People's Council (or House of Representatives) of Indonesia?

Or something like the People's Council (similar to a Cabinet) of Vietnam?
Maybe the system of a People's Council of Yemen or Turkmenistan?

Most likely, Suthep's idea of a new Thailand will be more like the People's Council of Syria
which is supposed to be run by "a few good" people too, mainly Assad

Why?
Maybe because of bad, biased information and education people don't understand the term "Democracy" ?

Just tried to work out about all the attempted, failed and quiet coup d'états here in the "Coup Land"

This list is by no means complete, so add more if you know of any other ones.

I believe there was some quiet coup's in 1966 and 1967 of which I am aware but there must be several quiet
coup attempts, failed or successful, of which no one ever heard.

1 - Uprising (attempt) of 1910:
Two attempted uprisings are put down by the Thai army.

2 - Coup (attempt) of 1912
Palace Revolt

13 January 1912

3 - Coup (attempt) of 1917
Aborted

4 - Coup (successful) of 1932
Siamese Revolution
Friday, 24 June 1932

5 - Coup (successful) of 1933
Coup by the "People's Party"
Tuesday, 20 June 1933

6 - Coup (attempt) of 1933
Boworadet Rebellion
11–23 October 1933

7 - Coup (successful) of 1939
Songsuradet Rebellion [siam changed name to Thailand]
29 January 1939

8 - Coup (successful) of 1947
Siamese coup d'état
Saturday, 8 November 1947

9 - Rebellion 1948
Songkhram’s military government crushes protest riots across the southern region.

10 - Coup (attempt) of 1949
Saturday, 26 February 1949

11 - Coup (attempt) of 1951
Friday, 29 June 1951

12 - Coup (successful) of 1951
Thursday, 29 November 1951

13 - Coup (successful) of 1957
Tuesday, 17 September 1957

14 - Coup (successful) of 1958
Monday, 20 October 1958

15 - Coup (successful) of 1971
Wednesday, 17 November 1971

16 - Coup (successful) of 1976
Wednesday, 6 October 1976

17 - Coup (attempt) of 1977
Saturday, 26 March 1977

18 - Coup (successful) of 1977
Thursday, 20 October 1977

19 - Coup (attempt) of 1981
Wednesday, 1 April 1981

20 - Coup (attempt) of 1985
Monday, 9 September 1985

21 - Coup (successful) of 1991
Saturday, 23 February 1991

22 - Coup of 2006
Tuesday, 19 September 2006

23 - ........

24 - ........

In a democracy, the army is not ask if they like the government's policy or not.

They are there to protect a country, a governments sovereignty and security

It is obvious that the Army agrees with you. They only got involved in an attempt to get the parties together. They said crowd control was the Police's responsibility.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Ohh fully agree with you on that one.

Of course "Crowd Control" and upholding the law is the police's duty.

Last but not least, protect their own compound ;-)

But as last defence to protect an elected government, the Generals

should not hesitate and take orders from their "Supreme Commander"

which should be THE Government (Not a general or single person. e.g USA).