sonnyJ

My (thai)GF got also harrased by them on our way for weekend in Singapore. "Are you with that farang, are you sure you should go with him..?"

I have almost no complaints about immigration personally. Actually they are the only people in common service jobs here I can ever remember hearing saying "Sorry" for their mistakes. It seems admittance of once fault is very problematic in this culture in general.

So Thailand same as Laos, or more same?

So Stepenwolf, you know this guy by name right? I'd like to know more please.

Yeah, be a High Quality Tourist and tip the lazy ass tuktuk driver atleast 100 THB every time he don't try to kill you and/or when he don't try to rip you off more than before.

Forgot to add that the operation on my vaio was nerve wrecking but they got it back to gether and only had few extra screws to spare in the end.

I had a problem with my 2 year old Vaio combo drive some time ago, as it first stopped writing cds and later couldn't even read most. Sony centre at Petchburi Road just said it's broken buy new combo for 5000 thb since the warranty was expired, without even opening the box and cheking it. You should go get it checked there first though.

At Phanthip's Sony shop first floor they offered to change the drive for a combo for 1000 thb or dvd rw for 5000 thb (forgot the brand). Got my self a dvd rw which is causing some problems though and getting very hot, maybe due the Vaio model I have, PCG-K64S, which is not designed for burning dvd drives. But atlest the service was excellent there. Still burns dvds but slow.

Does anyone know whether it's true that there was an unexploded bomb found in the 2nd Floor toilet of ASIA HOTEL in Bangkok (Rajthevee)???

NO. But maybe 6 hours ago on thai tv on the news cast there was some video showing asia hotel and some men walking in dressed in suits there for a few seconds and cut, then the news was finished, nobody said anything during that.

Even if Thaksin was steeling money, all the system in Thailand is completly corrupted!

So how does that make it different from the rest of the world??? We have our share of corrupt polititians in Canada as well. I don't believe that there is any such thing as honest politics, anywhere in the world. You almost have to be corrupt to get into office.

Then again, you are probalby more likely to find honest politicians here in Thailand, than in the Western Countries, because in the West, at worst, they get a slap on the wrist if they get caught, here, they might not survive. I would not want to me a politician in Asia. It is a dangerous job to hold and like anywhere else in the world, people are ungrateful, no matter what you try to do for them.

The nice thing in Thailand so far for me is, that (even though we have a military backed government), I can enjoy a lot more personal freedom here, than back in North America. (and the no-helmet tickets are a lot cheaper

What you should consider is the width and depth of corruption. I think you guys in Canada are doing pretty fine in the world scope.

I beleive that all these bombs are just a start!

I think Thailand will have a serious hard time for many years!

A Coup was not a solution! It was just escaping the reality!

Even if Thaksin was steeling money, all the system in Thailand is completly corrupted!

You have money, you can buy everybody there!

Police in Thailand is a real joke!

What kind of country it is when:

-in south thailand it's always the war,

-old fuc**** perverts who abused of child (including Policeman and Politic guys),

-a country who don't wanna be associated to prostitution but not able to control it because Police just like to abuse of their power with girls,

-a country that Thai guys are jalous of farangs,

-a system that always make it hard to get back our investment,

- A country who decide to act against DEMOCRACY and don't care about millions of voters

I think that many people can be angry about the Junte and the New Government.

When you have millions of Thais, thousands of farangs who's tired to be controlled by people who's not doing their jobs like it should be, it's absolutly normal that some of them will express their feeling!

Bad that innocent victims are killed and injured by these acts.

I don't agree with that but the Thai System, the Thai Police and the Thai Army should do their jobs like it suppose to be!

Or Thailand will fall in a Dark episode for many years!

Only with all the problems in Thailand, it will take about 10 years to say that Thailand recognize Democracy and that the system in under control!

What's the percentage of corrupt policeman, political person in this country?

Probably 80%!

I agree with you on that the Thai police, military and government are a real joke. And have always been, it never mattered under which government, they all have. In a word it's the system and this system is seen everywhere, it equals their culture in mainframe. So, nothing new.

Latest bombings, luckily very small this time, have made me very concerned though. Completely inept comments by different sections of the police force and military, all different. And gov rushes to one conclusion very fast. Press telling different story all the time. It's chaos. Well, what do we know? Not much really.

Just imagine it were some serious bombs like a couple thousand dead and you got the same info, probably you would... Show me some evidence and then name the the guilty party that is under suspicion! I'm still waiting.. but not holding my breath. Guess it will be something completely new next week...

This is just all so very Thai.

If things got really serious, and I know my embassy would be the only place to trust here, I would have to consider leaving this place behind seriously.

It doesn't really matter who are behind these bombs. What matters is what can gov do about it. All departments have allready shown they are not ready to handle this. I'm afraid it will get worse. New government will change nothing, not in hundred years.

...........the officials under the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) have been stationed in different traffic checkpoints during the “12 dangerous days” of New Year. They will help monitor drug-trafficking activities and inspect the motorists for illicit drugs.

And just what do they do the rest of the year?

Drugs are a problem 365 days a year.

Well, I get searched regularly (monthly) by the Thonglo cops just because I'm walking on my home soi. Do they stop local thais, no. And I have never bought illegal drugs in Bangkok. They never ask passport or any ID, just complaint that you have only 500 baht how can you go anywhere???

So where's the picture then?

Not all farangs here are married to thais, as some one is still suggesting..

Guess the lady is from Brunei and I don't think she was thinking anything just shocked by the situation and trying to protect herself. Though luck it turned out this way.

So wot about Eskimos...?

It would depend on their nationality. Some are Americans, some are Canadians, and some are Russian.

Eventually they came to live in four countries: (1)the Soviet Union; (2) the United States (Alaska); (3) Canada; and (4)Greenland.

thank you for reminding me, I had forgotten to include Greenland.

*edit*

and yes, ovenman, in 2006... that term is considered a vile racial slur.

And actually Greenland is not a country. It's a part of Denmark I believe.

Actually it sounds as an ordinary robbery. Or did that guy leave the beer on the counter whilst fleing the scene? The article dosn't tell us...

At 3 AM I just bite my lip and walk the good 10 minutes to the to a shop that is open.

And these guys had a motorbike! .. Christs...

I'm going BBA to BBA, so all the courses cross over, and I explained this to the lady.

She said that the Thai board of education can not accept credits from schools outside of Thailand, and I would have to begin all programs from the first year first semester.

I've already taken: micro &macro econ, acct I&II, bus. 101, etc. etc. etc.

What she said is completely false, maybe she was talking about CU's board.

Well, atleast BUIC will accept transferred credits, if them match their required courses.

Worst one so far was this languege school

edited for spelling::

LOL

Sorry I can't resist. A post making fun of spelling mistakes, edited for spelling mistakes, and still containing a spelling mistake.

Not that I do any better of course. I had to fix a spelling mistake in this post.

Damned, I used to think I was perfect...

After checking my girlfriends AMX card i believe the picture in the op has been changed, it's not even a new card as the op states it is, you can see the scratches on it. this is not real.

Can't see any scratches on it just oily finger print kind of marks. Banks in Thailand have lots of different cards available sometimes too. I'd like to know also when this card was issued?

If misspeling is the topic, it's legendary in Thailand.

Worst one so far was this languege school at Victory monument advertising on a huge sign various languages they teach also Deutsh, I think it was spelled. That was over one year ago, I'll have to go to check if theres still a foto to catch.

PS Have you ever noticed in how many different ways ''phat khrapao'' can be written in thai on the menus?

edited for spelling::

I hope this doesn't have same effect as the mobile promotions did.

My internet is too jammed already.

Now, how many coups it took to figure this one out?

Now let's see it enforced, if it passes that is..

Stevesuphan,

are you really telling us that people use term Faen noi?

I'd like to know in what kind of situation?

And 17 of the workers have won an even greater prize: a special visa for victims of trafficking granted under a 2000 federal law that allows them to stay in the United States for three years and apply for legal permanent residency after that. Thanks to the visa, Pornsrisirisak was able to bring his wife and 10-year-old daughter to California in February. Trafficking visa applications are pending for 22 other workers.

Why only 17 so far?

I feel sympathy for the ones who didn't get it.

Slavery is shocking for us westerners, but happens all the time in Asia in different forms.

If you would give out a deal that be a slave for some time in USA and then get a green card, I'm sure 25% of Asian population would sign up immediately.

So, a fairy tale ending to a nightmare in the fairy tale land for some..

There's no way illegal drug dealers could compete with legally produced low price and pure, good quality drugs. One thing to consider is that the organized criminals would probably move on to some other profitable illegal business, human trafficing, organ thefts... It might even cause more crimes if not handled carefully. So have to go slowly I guess..

drug lord don't get rich selling just 700g of drug ..

For what? 2.5kg in his lycra shorts.........

700g = 2.5kg?

I thought 1kg = 1000g?

you are correct, but the previous poster thought perhaps this was a practise run for something bigger.

Howq much can you get in your pants, not more than 2-3kg I would have thought.

That was the point I was making, I don't think this was a practise run for anything, just another mule.

When people say "just another mule" or the "judge should be lenient" as they are just mules.. this sounds ridiculious to me. The mules are probably more to blame than the actual dealer themselves! Without these so called mules, the drugs wouldnt be transported.

I have no sympathy for these mules what-so-ever... they should be guilty as charged! They obviously got themselves caught up in the mess in the first place.

If someone is to be stupid enough to get caught up in that kind of thing, and attempt to carry out the trafficing, then they should face the consequences.

This man should count his lucky stars that he was not caught in Singapore!

Unfortunately, I think australia's justice system is not very just at all.... He'll most likely get a few months behind bars OR simply a fine, then be released with no further action!!

I wish he was caught in Indonesia!

I refer you back to my first post on the first page of this thread where I clearly stated that whatever sentance he gets he deserves and that he will find no sympathy with me.

Personally I am anti drugs but I believe the best way to tackle the problem is legalisation and taxation.

They could be sold in special licenced government shops where they can educate those who want them before they buy them. Meaning the drugs are pure and safe and the user knows how to take safely. Part of the tax can go towards education.

Street crime which is one of the biggest problems in our society could be wiped out overnight. Drug dealers would be out of a job, the huge sums of money would be taken from them and put into the national budget.

The amount of lives that would be saved by this is unbelievable, yet still we refuse to see this as an option. Gangs fighting and shooting each other would be greatly reduced, our prisons would be emptied and addiction could be treated as an illness.

There is no evidence to show consumption would increase, this is exactly the kind of rubbish Fox news spread. If anything consumption would fall. Anyway the levels of consumption in the west now are so high it seems ridiculous that we waste 100's of millions of $ each year to fight a war we can't win.

When you can't win wars you should change your battle plan.

I'm sure i'll get some flaming here for saying this but the simple answer is by doing this lives will be saved and crime reduced.

Womble, you are ablsolutely right on this one.

Controlled legalization is the only way to handle this.

It's happening already in many countries in forms of treatment.

There are some downsides always, but over all it's a step to right direction.

Heroin is losing it's market share in many countries in europe, since it's so easy to get prescriptions for bubrenorfine and methadone. Which is then sold forward illegaly in many cases and abused as usual. Anyway it gives users clean and good quality drugs. Problem is that all this is happening too slowly to hit the mafias pockets really bad. But its a good start to cure the sickness and fight the crime.

I hope it won't get lost.

I'd like to know the price too. I could see my self running a ranch of Heardforths. So what can I get?