lizardtongue

I am amusing that you have a common language in which you communicate? I can understand your reluctance to go to the police particularly as her captor is Thai, he may well be connected and that would be bad news for you and the girl

If you are happy with her story and you feel that you want to help you may consider getting a message to her family and let her family deal with it! I know that appears to be passing the buck but if they live out of the immediate area there is a better chance of something being done with the local police and less chance of her captor being 'connected' with them.

Threats to kill is an offense in its self, then you got the kidnapping etc if guilty he could be looking at some serious time or at least it costing him a shit load of cash!

Does her family know that there have been threats made against them? Maybe that will sufficient to stir them into action of some sort!

But whatever you decide to do I would be inclined to keep your details well and truly out of it, it sounds like you are aware what the consequences can be for 'loss of face'!

Good luck

And effectively the five senior police get a 30 day vacation.

Don't forget the eventual posting to an 'inactive' position

Yeah I can see the scenario Mr and Mrs R.E.Spectable are having problems during Songkhran Mr Spectable tells Mrs Spectable to get on the tourist buddy, she pulls out her 22,000 THB smart phone at that very same moment Somchai decides she needs to enter into the spirit of the festival and proceeds to dump 3 gallons of shitty water over her and her phone!

So much for attracting high end tourists.

A little help with translation here my friend, High End = a lot of money, I don't think the Thai's are too fussy where it comes from, or the social standing of the person spending it!

the article intimates that they were on bail, how did they survive for 4 years if they were not allowed to work etc, under the circumstances surely the British Consulate can make representation to have the expenses incurred repaid, better still it would be nice if they took the landlord to court and sued him for them!

Oh well only 23,999,998 tourists next year

Another load of <deleted> !!! Think Tank eh? Only thinking that will be done is how can I skim some of this budget!

Of course Thailand's incompetent Gov. and imbedded corruption is not tarnishing its reputation not to mention it's dual pricing, pollution etc etc but it's prostitutes are?

Do these reporters live in a different Thailand?

I am not sure what they even need to think about.

If people are willing to cheat to pass an assistant teacher exam, what kind of teachers are they going to make?!

In short they are going to get the same quality of teachers as they do police and most other Gov. posts which are brought or gained not through ones ability to undertake the work but through the 'old boys' net work or family ties.

Sad thing is if resent polls are anything to go by the majority of the population are happy (albeit through stupidity) to accept corruption at all levels so things will not change.

Zero chance of enforcement.

And that's being generous! And as for getting 10k out of them would be less than zero!

How do thay know there are 7.

"We believe the gang must have had more than seven members," said Pol Lt

Colonel Panom Chuathong, deputy superintendent of Pathum Wan Police

Station.

I would imagine it goes something like this, Q "How many of your friends were involved"? 'Slap' A "At least another 7 krap" 'Slap' "Names" 'ouch' Somchai, Poon etc etc

Try popping into some different bars but I think you will soon get fed up listening to the 'old farts' war and shagging stories. Or perhaps you should try and 'tap up' a local girl but again I think you will soon get fed up hearing her sob stories about how poor she is, maybe go out with some work colleagues but I suppose all you would talk about is 'work'?

If these options fail to stimulate your desire for intellectual company/conversation, befriend a bar owner and listen to how well/bad his bar is doing, that should keep you occupied for a month or two!

This along with paying 'refundable deposits' is just another way Thai's use for extracting 'falang' money, the latest I have experienced is paying 300 THB a day for internet connection because it is 3G!

You have the incorrect heading! It should read, "THAILAND NO GOOD CUSTOMER CARE" sorry to say get use to it because that's the way it is!

Another fine American culture import

Actually I think you will find (if you stopped to think, and perhaps researched before 'putting pen to paper') that in the US the attackers are normally armed with firearms, however in the UK most school related attacks are knife related? BTW I am English!

Apparently they actually cut off all 10 digits but the Dr's were able to sew back 4 of them, whislt I agree with other posts pointing out that there are murders etc between groups of youths in other countries, I think you will have to go a long way to find anything as horriffic as this?

Has anyone ever seen a local boy fight a fair fight? Serious question.

Not a chance, Thai men are like bananas, 'Yellow and hang around in bunches'

Realistically to be in a position to stop corruption the person at the top must be 'whiter than white' you have to question if such a person exists in Asia let alone Thailand!

The whole of Thailand is corrupt from top to bottom all lining their nests with no regard for the population, if post is correct and companies have to pay 30% they are really taking that money from their fellow countrymen.

Not that I condone it but if they were to pay 10% in bribes, the work force could perhaps receive a 10% increment, with the company being 10% better off so to speak! But as we know it will never happen, as always its the people at the bottom that suffer.

I wonder how long it would take for the rooms set aside for conjugal visits are turned into a 'knocking' shop? I bet there is a substantial 'cost' at the two prisons which allow conjugal visits, that of course is if Col Somchai hasn't turned them into brothels!

In a country like Thailand having these 'privileges' just opens the door for exploitation.

To compare the accuracy of the BIB breathalizers to this tablet shows just how out of touch the commander is. A large percentage of the breathalizers were found out of calibration a few weeks back, when checked in Bangkok area. The tablet is not even here for gawds sake and the police are worried about a adverisment. He either wants the tablet franchise for Thailand, or wants new breathanalalizers.

Guess they could get Chalerm to be the standard,. if the tablet works for his test, we better buy stock in the company.

God forbid the BIBs come up against something that reduces their late night extra pocket earning capacity

Took the words right out of my mouth, they will not let that happen! Of course they could produce 'fake' toffee and sell that? That way they get two bites at the cherry!!

It will not last well not unless the dog can be trained to take bribes!!

Bangkok, Thailand, soon to be the water sport hub of SE Asia

This is one such tragic case that can't be blamed on the Thai's.

Surely this educated British couple did extensive research on the places (roads) they would be visiting on their global trek.

Asia is not the west with its dedicated bicycle lanes ,compulsory helmets and rigid safety laws and police enforcement,

Anyone studying Thailand over the net for a few days would quickly realise this not the place to ride bicycles or even a car for that matter.

Thousands of Thais drive around under the influence of drugs or alcohol day and night expecially upcountry.

They took a gamble as Thailand is the keystone of any S E Asian trip and unfortunately they lost.

Pray inform me who should shoulder the blame?

Shocking Yes.. surprising NO !

It's about time they shut Pattaya down..

I have never been to Pattaya do they also have a soi Cowboy?

They should start with Khon Kaen bus station the stink is overpowering the whole place is a toilet! Come to think about it the main train station in BBK does not exactly smell like a bed of roses