sonnyJ

Yes the rip offs happen a lot on the tourist areas and from hotels, I'm not saying it's out of line, tourists have money, thats why they have holidays. Would never happen in my country by this scale though, but thats irrelevant, cos we have laws.

My point is if Thailand would like to think to develope maybe just a little bit probably to a beneficial tourist destination, on the long term, they would make laws and enforcement to make the tourists feel welcomed.

I have not read all the posts here, but please bear with me. I lived in Phuket [Patong] for 2 years from 1998- 200 and even then the Thai locals despised the Tuk Tuks. I saw plenty of rows between THAIS and Tuk Tuk drivers with no farang passengers to be seen. The drivers did not pay heed to the argument "We are Thai, you are Thai, what the <deleted> is this?"

So, let us assume the Welshman was indeed drunk and obnoxious. He was overcharged for his journey. The driver was so beaten and shaken yet he still had time to go to his glove compartment and go for his knife when a kicking would have been more in order.

No, the Welshman may have been in need of a lesson in Thai culture, but I feel the response was dispraportunate. So if the Thais are also up in arms [which they are] about Tuk Tuks, should they also piss off back to Udon or wherever?

I have never been to Phuket, only the airport when got a free flight from the military to help following the tsunami. In Phang nga the locals were nice though, to where I immediately headed.

I'm not saying locals in Phuket are not nice, I know a few and they are very nice people. It's because what I have heard of this extorsion of turists going on there and this thread has only strenghten that oppinion. I will never wish to visit Phuket as it remains in this way.

Total disgrace for Phuket and tourism in Thailand.

In Bangkok transportation is less hardcore, still so many locals are afraid of these taxis, motor bike taxis, tuk-tuks. Rarely have had problem with a taxi driver, nothing at stabbing level. More like tuktuks and motorbike drivesrs are either drunk or pushing you very hard. Except the one's you know personally.

In a year I learned the 'thing', how to behave like a local, even speak the local languge a little, so they think I understand more than I do. Therefore almost no problems at all. Many times the motor bikes ask me how much, Taxi meter is 41 or 43 you give them a 40 thats the local way. I never use tuk tuks cos them are more expensive than taxis, I never go to turist areas as pat pong, cos I know how these <deleted> there will behave, I don't like to get insulted like the tourists cos I understand the insult in the cultural consept.

The guys who say you better tip the driver cos he didn't try to rip you off/ or paying 400 THB to airport! You are making the life difficult for other 'poor normal people' who really live hear. Even more you are enhancing the consept that Farang Always Rich. I'm not saying never tip, I'm saying tip 10 not 100 THB. In Bangkok this is anyway.

hehe

Good to hear you've cleared your head enough to have some sensible action. You're on the right course. Make sure you're protected as others have mentioned here before. It's a tough think to go through and happens too often.

Cheers.

The PM said it him self. No uncorrupt police in a hundred years.

Live with it.

There's always three options.

Death, jail or rock n' roll.

Thaksin accused of giving the license to kill during war on drugs

BANGKOK: -- Ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his government should be held responsible for the systematic killings of more than 2,500 people during the notorious war on drugs, National Human Rights Commission's chairman Somchai Homla-or said Sunday.

"Thaksin and his government has committed crime against humanity," Somchai said at a seminar.

The seminar focused on the violation of human rights in so many cases that Thaksin-led government labelled as "silence killings", drug traders being silenced by their fellows from the same illicit trade.

However, Somchai Sunday accused Thaksin, former Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Noor Matha and former permanent secretary for Interior Sermsak Pongpanich of virtually issuing the license to kill during the war on drugs three years ago.

"Thaksin often reiterated that drug sellers would have only two choices: death or jail," Somchai added.

-- The Nation 2006-11-19

So based upon this, I take it that the BIB"s were also in the drug trade!

Hhhsssss

I thought thats the way exactly how Thai authorities deal with it. Though I thought there might be some civilised methods involved. Thanks for your reply.

I'd really like to know facts about this. How do they treat drugs abusers in Thailand.

All I have heard of is this chinese herbal medicine detox thing.

Methadone treatments available, really?

I also had a few weeks holiday in Malaysia last October. Destination was The Perhentia Islands, which was a nice experience. We crossed the border from Sungaikolog. On the Malay side there was one car and two guys waiting, they wanted to know where are we going. In Thailand, Cambodia I have learned to ignore the first touts completely. This was something different, they produced print outs of available destinations and accommodation on very fair prices. So we went of to KotaBaru way for 30. Taxi driver was not great in english but liked to chat. He pointed out that we should get right to the pier for the boat to islands for 60 and would get us to the hotel. Everything worked out smoothly for a fair price and he took us there at a crazy speed.

Returning Thailand at Sungai Kolog they produced a customer feedback form at malay stamp out. I filled it and asked the officers where can I return it. They woldn't understand, that was the only minus for the service, no english comprehension at all almost. So they pointed me forward and I had to ask again. I found one guy who could speak english and the feedback box was on the Malaysian side so had to go back to leave it there which didn't seem to be a problem for anyone even I was already stamped out from Malaysia. This feedback form was about the immigration service quality so kinda dilemma...

Local flight back to Bangkok to the new airport was nice experience not much to complaint about. Elevators were very crowded though (a problem as my friend was at a wheelchair at the time) and not many smoking rooms nor signs. Even the taxi was an easy catch right to Bumrungrad.

So IF this guy is from Canada and a junkie, why didn't he go for the free ticket home option he was offered before? I might be wrong but I have gathered that Canada has a top social services, unlike USA, so he would get rehab with free bed and food, or atleast free methadone, right? Then he could get up to some sales job or what ever. It would be logical for him to take the opportunity.

Obviously we don't have all the information here so I won't jump to conclusion in this case yet.

If this information we have here is correct, I would welcome the Rambo approach. Since Chuck seems to be busy and Van Damme hasn't been around for a while it's all for you Rambo.

I have understood that from internet business you don't need to pay tax. My friend wanted to pay tax in Thailand and asked, they said no. This business is not based on Thailand in any way and is about investments. Is this really illegal?

I think it depends on the country your getting paid in. Many countries like the US, UK, France etc have tax treaties with Thailand to outlaw double taxation. If you paying tax and filing tax returns in one of these countries with a tax treaty the the exact treatment of your income is pretty well defined.

So if your working and paying tax in the US for example then your tax liability is there and not here. The exception would be if you setup a company in Thailand and not liable for taxes of your revenue in the US. Also the extremely rare legal residency in Thailand would shift your tax liablity to the kingdom.

Sunbelt or Lopburi might have clarification but I am pretty sure you don't have to worry about any tax here in Thailand.

This individual is getting paid to his japanese and malaysian accounts by the e-business based in Brunei. Guess it's taxfree there.

I have understood that from internet business you don't need to pay tax. My friend wanted to pay tax in Thailand and asked, they said no. This business is not based on Thailand in any way and is about investments. Is this really illegal?

It's great how easy it seems to be to start solving the big problems with a gov that has no future and wants to please the international press.

Good for all Thailand.

What are the laws on self defense in Thailand? At what point am I allowed to use physical force? What happens at police station after two farangs fight?

I trained in judo. How does the law react to choke holds and arm locks? Is a choke considered deadly force?

Your first question is interesting and there were many good replies. Interesting reading really, thanks for all. The laws are always bend in Thailand, so them don't matter really.

If you trained judo, do you think choke can be considered deadly?

I wonder who were your teacher. In which country and by which teacher is it allowed to use your judo on the streets or home?

It has been proven again for all martial artists, it's better to keep quiet. If they want to know they will join in.

,,,Love them all

Sounds great Tutsi.

I might start to add some extras in my National Holidays calendar.

Thanks Tutsi

What is the date for this American Thanksgiving?

Yes I prefer the original sountrack as well, as long it's in english, if not then I require subtitles to understand.

I think in most countries in the world movies are dubbed rather than subtitled. I know only of few scandinavian countries where there is no dubbing but everything on tv is subtitled to the local language. These are mostly gov channels. Therefore the gov supports the subtitling and we get good results.

It's great for english learning as well..

In Thailand, the new Hollywood movies get translated to thai subs and dubs. Them seem to work OK, I can base this on hear say only, but there really should be more effort by the government here to translate more movies. Ooh, I forgot, how many foreign movies do they show on tv local channels per month. Maybe one?

Not sure about the price range you're after on apartments.

This is a good place to start.

http://www.thaiapartment.com/

If you need food.

http://www.foodbyphonebkk.com/

You will never have to leave your room

Don't you guys have internet banking in US nor UK?

That's very convenient.

There's a big difference between pirated movies and the legal ones, which you get from the rental shops for example. The latter being usually good quality on subs. Previous often completely wrong in both english and thai, occasionally hilarious though.

That leads to question why so few foreign movies are translated in Thailand. Guess them are simply not popular.

Fun,Fun,Fun, You should get out of this mess ASAP.

I can relate very much to the idea of an inexperienced maybe naive thai girl. Anyway it's her life and she must face the consequences.

Hope she will take the lesson.

Cheers

So now they found a law that says "no public dancing in sexual fashion during the public holidays" or something? And that's 1942, propaply the year bikinis were invented.

Now the culture control comission must send agents to every part of the country and tell the drunken crowd that this party is OVER!

I do agree that westernization has destroyed many beautiful aspects of many cultures and will continue to do so. People just buy it like crazy. Maybe I was around 15 y-o when I realised that there's nothing anyone can do about it, to stop the change. That's what culture is all about anyway.

In Finland, they held a disco style techno/light show inside the country's oldest church. Sure some tried to protest, but the thing was as the city officials put it, it was better place for the kids than the other available options. Yes we are protestants.