nakhonandy

I think we have to keep waiting to get the story for this one. At least since foreign press and a major company are involved, questions will keep getting asked. It took a whole day for the police to say it was a room with no balcony? A whole day before they realized they had a note? Until someone besides a Thai policeman sees the note - it doesn't exist.

Why would they release any of that information in an ongoing investiagation? Can't see why the Thai police are at fault here.

They certainly wouldn't in the western world until sure of their facts.

This probably leaked first and that is why it is released now.

[Maybe i am wrong, in shock still, or even bitter over it all but i now look at thai men with distrust and disdain, even thai friends i dont want to know right now ...

Understandable you should think that way right now, but you must have been aware after living in Thailand for a couple of years that these things - and much worse - happen (to others) but if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time and very unlucky, it can (and has) happened to you.

Try and see things in perspective and think about the positive things that have kept you happy in Thailand this long already.

Couldn't agree more.

Just put it down as one very unlucky bad experience and get back on with the life you were enjoying before the event.

Not safe or unsafe really, depends on where you go.

As this is your first time I would recomend going somewhere else in Thailand, there are many options.

So Suthep says it may be a Cambodian and this rates a news story? At least he can supply a credible source for such an inflammatory story, can't he? No? Then please don't repeat more of his outrageous statements as "news." Propaganda should be left in the streets where it originated.

there are tons of light evidence that some Cambodians (soldiers?) have been imported. But for you it is most probably also just propaganda that Suthin was shot at the same time from 2 directions and in the head, which clearly shows that it was planed by someone who knows about shooting.

I thought they were special forces snipers.

Why the need from two directions? Maybe they know nothing about shooting!

Also 80, bit difficult to cover that up I would have thought.

Just speculation and rantings.

Why does anyone even care what the US gov't thinks? Let me clue you in, the American people HATE the US gov't! Congress has a 9% (NINE!) approval rating, we know they are spying on all of us and doing a bunch of illegal stuff including droning innocent children all over the world.

If the US takes anyone's side in a conflict you can be pretty sure that the opposite side is far more just.

The rest of the world has pretty much had it with America...they hang on with the reserve currency and a strong military...that's it!

A load of bullocks once again, such ignorant statements.

It's pretty evident that every time the USA is mentioned in a thread, that the low life crawl out to get in a good bash or two. Their ignorant statements are testimony to a lifetime spent living in dark corners of the world spitting out garbage about Americans in General. Mostly has to do with their inability to get their own governments out of the closet. Perhaps, however, it is due to these people not getting proper pensions/medical assistance here in Thailand. There was a good thread about this recently...mostly elderly Brits that roam the beaches of Pattaya without financial/mental capabilities. A burden that Thailand must bear.

I wonder where the majority of posters on Thai Visa hail from??? Let me guess....lol

It does seem odd that whenever the US is mentioned a load of people come out and start bashing it.

The US is just saying the same as the majority of other democratic governements worldwide, why pick on the US.

Incidentally being British (not roaming Pattaya beach though) what was that thread? Just curious, there are many wasters on Pattaya beach!

I am watching PBS and they just showed a video of people being violently being prevented from voting. Voting is a basic right of people in Thai society. Whether by physical force or padlocking gates, preventing people from voting is an assault on democracy.

Nope. Once the game is rigged, the mere "act of voting"... resembles sheep entering the slaughter house. Thank you.

Rigged, ah of course.

Allowing all those people in the north to vote, bad move.

Khun Ginjag!

Why do you assume I knuckle under, I don't. I have my own opinion as stated.

That it happens to agree with most of my family/friends is probably because we live in a rural community.

No we have not been made rich, but the PTP has done a lot more than anybody else for the rural community, health, education etc.

The dems did nothing.

And just taking your situation as one example , have your family and friends seen any evidence of specific pork barrelling by the PTP during these elections? I would have thought they haven't had the time to even think of any of that and they probably don't even have the money this time around.

So from what I can see voters in the rural areas will simply be voting by who they prefer to be in power without the other side being able to throw around accusations that there has been any vote buying ?

You are correct during the day they have no time, however they keep track as to what is going on in the evening, television, internet etc.

All I can say is what people around us are saying, that is they will vote for who will help them the most, but they will vote.

Both sides throw around the vote buying statements without much evidence to back it up, all these 500 Baht per person votes.

certainly not seen it here.

It seems to me to have several root causes.

1/ Education, there needs to be a forced driving curriculum where drivers are required to have so many lessons etc and may only go forward for the test when qualified. I insisted on my wife doing this and it worked.

2/ The test itself has to be worthwhile, any idiot can pass here. Also with the pretty well 100% pass rate guarenteed it is meaningless.

3/ Of course you can buy your license if you want. Corruption needs to be removed.

4/ Laws are there, they just need to be enforced. Police need to do their job, not just go for the money.

5/ Educate the people that an amulet or flowers etc will not protect you.

6/ Ensure motor vehicles are safe, introduce yearly safety checks that really ensure this, not the simple kick the tyres we have now.

I am sure I have missed many points but these would certainly help.

The 5 "E's of road safety........?

Maybe, never heard of the 5 E's. Where do they come from?

Khun Ginjag!

Why do you assume I knuckle under, I don't. I have my own opinion as stated.

That it happens to agree with most of my family/friends is probably because we live in a rural community.

No we have not been made rich, but the PTP has done a lot more than anybody else for the rural community, health, education etc.

The dems did nothing.

There is a huge difference between 2 men fighting for 2 very different things. In the Ukraine, Klitschko is among the protesters, even at the very front of the fights with police. He is fighting for Democracy, calling for elections. Suthep on the other hand is currently in a safe house according to the latest media reports, hoping his supporters will make a power grab for him and is not afraid of causing a civil war in order to prevent elections. Two men, one a hero, one a coward.

So in the Ukraine it is right to fight an democratic elected government.

In Thailand it is wrong to fight an not so democratic elected government.

How is it not so democratic, they won the election, in fact have won all for the last 20 years.

Preventing people voting is of course very democratic.

I don't condone the violence, but this was started by Suthep, nobody else.

Pathetic knowledge of events

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

That is your opinion to which you are entitled.

Interestingly the vast majority of my Thai friends and family agree with what I said. As do many on this thread by the way.

Personally I tend to listen to what my Thai family/friends think than people who can just quote "pathetic" without a counter arguement. No doubt the amnesty bill.

There is a huge difference between 2 men fighting for 2 very different things. In the Ukraine, Klitschko is among the protesters, even at the very front of the fights with police. He is fighting for Democracy, calling for elections. Suthep on the other hand is currently in a safe house according to the latest media reports, hoping his supporters will make a power grab for him and is not afraid of causing a civil war in order to prevent elections. Two men, one a hero, one a coward.

So in the Ukraine it is right to fight an democratic elected government.

In Thailand it is wrong to fight an not so democratic elected government.

How is it not so democratic, they won the election, in fact have won all for the last 20 years.

Preventing people voting is of course very democratic.

I don't condone the violence, but this was started by Suthep, nobody else.

It seems to me to have several root causes.

1/ Education, there needs to be a forced driving curriculum where drivers are required to have so many lessons etc and may only go forward for the test when qualified. I insisted on my wife doing this and it worked.

2/ The test itself has to be worthwhile, any idiot can pass here. Also with the pretty well 100% pass rate guarenteed it is meaningless.

3/ Of course you can buy your license if you want. Corruption needs to be removed.

4/ Laws are there, they just need to be enforced. Police need to do their job, not just go for the money.

5/ Educate the people that an amulet or flowers etc will not protect you.

6/ Ensure motor vehicles are safe, introduce yearly safety checks that really ensure this, not the simple kick the tyres we have now.

I am sure I have missed many points but these would certainly help.

idiotic and a waste of time and money...95% of the 500 seats just cant be won , its simple math....the Dems are not taking part

Right and that is their own fault. they sould not have boycotted the ellection. They might have had a good chance this time.

Not necessarily. I get the impression that there aren't as big a proportion of floating voters in Thailand. Most probably vote one way all the time and wouldn't consider changing regardless of the policies, assuming they know what they are.

Where I live they just don't believe that the policies will be carried out, not dissimilar to western beliefs there.

I agree most will vote the same as always so the Dems have no chance, hence the boycott.

Got to love this.

Bt 160 m to build studios (plural) and all playout equipment.

Dreamland, suprise suprise.

I am a television engineer and have worked on diverse projects worldwide.

No way could they build this for this price, multiply by five at least.

As for the profit mentioned absurd.

The police force, along with many other public institutions in this fair country , need a thorough clean out. It is dysfunctional, corrupt and self-serving. The question is , who will have the courage and fortitude to take them on?

The nation's editorial is nothing short of PADC proganda.

Yes there is corruption if the police force and there should not be. There is corruption in the militray, civil service, teaching profession, politics, national and provincial and local government, in business and all walks of life. The judicial system and tax system need overhauling. Military involvement in media ownership and control, on the bord of directors of significant public companies etc also needs overhauling. The list is very long and applies to all levels of Thai society. If a start is made today, it will take at least 30 years to "clean up" Thailand.

But that is not what the Nation is saying or wants. They are trying to undermine the police to further the aims of PADC whose agenda they support. It is that agenda which is the big worry.

Well said, but show me a newspaper anywhere that is not biased one way or the other!

I use the word newspaper loosely here when connected to the Nation.

Trouble is, in Thailand, if you don't vote in an election, you loose your right to vote in the following, or at least, that is what the uneducated, in the North are made to believe here. I wouldn't count on it being true, but people up here believe it is, so of course, they will vote, because they think, they will loose there voting privileges for the future, if they don't vote in this election.

They vote because they are scared they`ll loose the right or because they`re paid? Make your mind up <deleted>

BTW Bangkok and the South has just as many uneducated people as "the North," the idea that once you pass Korat everyone becomes retarded is nothing more than a myth. Indeed some of Thailands best Universities hail from the region. Incidentally the reason many from that said region can now afford to go to University is due to a corrupt politician called Thaskin.

Interesting this arguement comes up all the time with no basis behind it.

I live in central Thailand and have never heard from anyone in the village about either of the getting paid or the losing of voters rights, garbage!

This government keeps getting elected as it tries to do more for rural Thailand, education, health etc.

OK they sometimes get it completely wrong, rice pledge for example but they do try.

Argueing that they are corrpt and the democrats are not brings tears to my eyes.

I teach Social studies here and the rule is that if you don't vote in the current election you can Not run for a position in the next election. I did not see anything about Not being able to vote, only the stipulation that you can't run for Any position in the next election. So, for those aspiring to be Pu Yai, you'll have to wait until after you vote the next time.

Exactly.

How many voters do you think want a postion in the party, next to zero.

It is a non arguement.

Wow, great! All except the last paragraph. Sounds to me like you have found a subservient, house servant rather than a wife. So I can only gather she is the exact opposite of your previous spouse. Thus you enjoy living here?

Maybe I am reading too much into this but you have less a marriage, but more a owner/servant relationship. But if it works for you excellent, and I fully agree it is a good reason to be living here.

Cheers.

Who are you to judge...?

Some Thai women...WANT...to treat their men special...everyday...and are happy to do so...

That does not necessarily equate them to being hired servants...

Post is so full of BS...

Have to agree.

My wife is always doing things for me, sometimes I have to ask her to stop.

That said I do a lot of things for her also.

Sounds like a normal marraige here to me.

Everybody seems to be panicking.

In the end it will sort itself out.

Been there done it bought the tee shirt.

Thais will sort their own mess out, it is not for us to intervene, we are meerly guests.

A well-written piece. It makes me wish Thailand could reform, but not Suthep's way. They need to find a way go sweep away the main protagonists and try to elect those who might engage in non-confrontational politics (at least for a while!) to give the country some time to recover from this turmoil.

But that is western-style thinking..... TiT.

you don't get fair elections without reforms first.

You advocate destroying the democratic process, flawed as it may be, so that an unelected panel, with unlimited decision-making powers and an an open-ended timeframe, can set up 'reforms' and decide when the country is ready for democracy?

What utter nonsense.

So what we have now is better?When a crim starts. running the country from afar something radical needs to be done.

What would you advocate then?

Obviously not his wife.

As I understand it US visas are actually relatively easy to get; just marry an American.

They don't treat your foreign spouse like an adversary in my country.

Pro Tip:

That wasn't a news article. That was a verbose headline. Articles actually have follow up inormation in them.

Not sure where you heard easy to get that visa if they marry a yank. Really depends, can be fairly easy or really hard. Marriage in no way guarantees a visa to the USA.

doable , but by no means easy ! its a major hassle and takes 8-12 months depending . they will make the person feel like dirt as they interview them . in there eyes ; everyone is a prostitute , little sad .

Same in Europe. Gets up my nose.

Not all Thai women are on the game.

It's not 'tragic' when it is caused by the ineptitude of the driver.

Yes it is, tragic when people die like this, whatever the cause!

You guys seriously believe a tourist would brandish a knife and molest her at 9am?

Small injury to one of her fingers.... <deleted>, read the story... The shopkeeper is clutching at straws!

With Pattaya left with the garbage tourism, I suspect more BS stories, scams will come from the Thai people as they try and extort money from tourists.

Agree with the garbage tourism point, getting a lot worse here now.

Bit iffy but he did have a knife! Why?

Seen many of these tourists drunk/stoned at 9:00 in the morning, anything is possible, just getting the knife out is stupid to say the least.

I have two Bangkok bank B1st visa cards with accounts from Bangkok and Lampang but useless for purchasing tickets online from Air Asia who told me they do not accept cards from Bangkok bank.

Don't get this, I have used B1st Visa many times with Air Asia, never had a problem. Is it Visa enabled?

A lot of people knocking Pattaya but the problem is elsewhere.

Pattaya is a big place with lots of tourists so of course it happens more here than Hua Hin for example.

This sort of thing goes on everywhere, at least here they do not kill you which happens in a lot of other places.

With these scum the Police are usually pretty good and catch them, they are 99% uneducated idiots so not difficult really.

Just wish the judges would make the punishment suit the crime!

I have been living in Jomtien for roughly 5 years and have regularly been to Pattaya at night, sometimes early morning.

Never once have I had a problem, neither have my friends!