moebius

While my sympathies go out to your friend for his apparent misfortune, I do have say it is just another story from just any country where someone gets beaten, robbed, etc... and then they don't involve the authorities.

So what chance does the law anywhere have to do anything?

I've been robbed and beaten, too, but please don't tell anyone. I wouldn't want to give Canada or the USA a bad name or, heaven forbid, cause an investigation!

Sure thieves are cowards; but victims can be cowards too... and no-one ever said fighting the good fight was easy. The problem is most victims just prefer to leave the past behind them.

I hope your friend heals up, is more careful in the future, and has a more peaceful life.

English is a shell game involving big money.

As in many acquired skills, it takes one person to teach the theory and another to tell you how it really works.

This is just the result of a modern way of the exploiters preying on the gullible.

A shrewd old British Prime Minister, Harold McMillan...

(clip)

The banksters there, aided by a villain called Alan Greenspan, have got lots of Americans to run up huge debts on the basis of unsustainable "values" of their houses, and they are on the verge of starting to suffer...

(clip)

The 'sophisticates' scoff at the idea that being satisfied to have the security of managing on what is sufficient and not striving for excess would be more sensible. But the 'sophisticates' are just conning gullible people into becoming their debt-slaves.

Ah, well. It is their karma that they are building up.

The means of 'living beyond one's means' didn't begin with foppy old Brits and semi-retired American bureaucrats. It could, however, be attributed to "sophisticates" - even before the word was coined from Greek sophistry - to ancient Babylonia; where the 'sophisticates' of the day began a long tradition of tapping out their credit to the point where war, attrition, exploitation of their own and other populaces appeared as the best way to resettle their debts.

So much for ruling systems; everything truly repeats itself in one form or another; so, be they aristocrats, feudalists, autocrats, or monarchies, the only thing democracy has truly wrought is the right to do it to yourself on your own behalf.

But don't worry. Democratically speaking, once enough of the populace is suckered into debt they'll simply march in the streets until someone overthrows the local collection office.

It's a beautiful world.

Y'know, I don't really understand all the new regulations but I do understand the reasons why.

I came to Thailand for a course and ended up staying for one year to be with the Singapore woman I met while there. We travelled a lot out of the country, but over the year I ended up making about four 'visa runs.'

During those runs, and also during my sojourns to Kho San Road and countless other locals in Thailand, I met a lot of scumbags.

Call a spade a spade, already. Some people are in Thailand for legitimate reasons and many are there just to party their face off and many are there to sqaunder their lives away in cheap and pathetic ways from dubious means.

<deleted> em ... they are sh**. No human values and their resumes (if they have one) read like crap.

I live within the law whereever I am. If the law says this then I adjust. I am a busineesman. I use whatever the system says I can use. I'm glad this happened after I left, but it doesn't change what my goals where - which was to be with the woman I loved. We will manage no matter where and what is thrown at us. Now we are in China. The business rules are simple: if you do legitimate business through a legitimate company you are welcome.

Thailand is putting itself out of the business-hub and that's fine. Couldn't get anything done of any substance in any amount of time anyway. They can't even determine the difference between shipping and receiving without a sh*tload of tea money. China moves in a raw form, Singapore takes it up to a higher standard.

So business goes where it goes and legitimate-whatvever can stay wherever they want. It's all the 'have-nots' and 'permanent tourists' who seem to have a problem. ...like it matters if they are farting around in Thailand or Myanmar or Phillipines...really: it's the price of plane, train, bus, or overland ticket.

The permanent 'wanna-stays' just don't want to put their case to immigration. They want anonymity and I don't blame them. There is no humanitarian reason for staying in Thailand unless you are a refugee. But you are farang: no matter what country you are in unless you are in your own. Take a powder. You are in self-exile. You have no 'rights.' Put your heart on your sleeve and jump borders into Cambodia, Laos, ...the other worlds than the ones that offer you the comforts you love so much. Think about how much it would take to live in Disneyland - with an xxx twist - for the rest of your life., and then ask yourself 'what the hel_l am I doing?'

Thailand isn't f**ked up. Immigration isn't f**ked up. The majority of cling-ons are f**ked up.

Sure I used the system to stay there for my own reasons. But it nothing to do with exploiting poor ol' little Thailand; it had to do with what I wanted and what I was willing to do to get it. Now that I have it I couldn't care less what happens to all the others who are bending the rules to do the same.

It would make sense for Thailand to have a 'humanitarian' approach to a case-by-case basis - at least for consultation (I was advised to 'not attempt a non-married appeal' and do the bus runs). Then they might grow up.

In the meantime, Thailand really does need to put a stamp on all the sh*tholes being created through the existing process. The moral and ethical decay of the country as a whole is threatened by the drug and sex industries. I don't decry a little fun, but c'mon folks: everywhere you go someone is selling or buying something that none of us want on our own street whereever we live. We want this freedom sure, but Thailand is turning out to be crap on crap country where relatively nice, easy-going people are being trained like dogs to play outrageous games and guile to suckor strange animals out of their filthy lucre.

Defend how you may; I don't see or hear a lot of people saying they are leaving. There are better cliimes and other places in the world. If you don't like it get up and move. I left because I prefer China for the culture, people, and it is the place where things are really happening. Most of those stuck in Thailand are there because it offers them a little bit of home with all the things they can't have at home and they have no imagination to go anyplace else.

It's a simple place for simple people....which is why it's a nice place to visit. But it's not likely I will live there again.

Maybe if they incorporate law for all that applies to all... but till then, not likely.

Good luck to you other poor bastards and cheers to all of you who are there for legitimate reasons (you know who you are and so does immigration).

zaijian...

(and, of course, I'm just ranting at you the same way so many rant at me for my circumstance(s) so take if with a grain of salt will ya...)

Who are the three? The ones richer than him? Would be interesting to know.

....and what is R2,2-billion? Is that Rand, Ruppees, Baht even, or Dollars or Pounds? I'm a multi milllionaire in Vietnam and Italy, really!!!

You don't know what currency conversion is?

I run a multi-billion dollar corporation and own a few countries. Unfortunately the locals have overthrown them and now I'm living in London - trying to figure out a quid from a pound sterling and a Euro from a hero.

Aya....

I say everyone meet at Koa San Road, march on the Visa Ministry and camp out front till they all resign and drop this totalitarianist plan to keep foreigners from 'moving' freely to and from and within and about this great democratic nation! Look to Taiwan! Look to last spring! Democracy as only democracy can be inacted; rule by the people (or some people) for the people (or some people)!

Ooops...I live in China. Used to live in Bangkok as a hub for travel in SEA. Doing visa runs on the off-months was a real pain in the ass. And for those of us who never know where we are going to be till the next call, the no-visa stamped entry was actually pretty convenient. Took up a lot of pages in the passport though.

China has a rational mulitple-entry business visa class and taxation policy for extended stays over the year for business visa travellers and semi-residents doing business out of China. Something far too difficult to do in Thailand to make it worthwhile using as a 'hub' for business in SEA as far as I'm concerned.

I guess one could say Mainland China is a little more advanced and evolving even more quickly.

I'll still be back to Thailand for business and tourism. Maybe someday I may even retire there once they allow foreigners to actually buy something at market value. Great place to lay back beachside.

Karr is a self-proclaimed killer. He also just happens to be flogging a living as an educator in a foreign country. Instantaneously this tars the profession, an honourable and universally underpaid one if you ask most teachers, with an salient brush. Those who herald qualifications cry havoc over being tarnished; those who mean no ill take their undeserved slaps; those whose mandate is public appearance to do something about it do something about something; and all the while reality remains reality...

The girl is dead. Society is rift with problems and a lot of people crying about it. Few really come up with viable alternatives, just as the law in the US seldom produces a satisfactory outcome for such a diverse public. One can decry many ills and do little more than defend the calibre of their individual worth on what good they and they alone do while alive.

Think about it.

It's a tough life and there are terrible ways to have it ended. Do some good for somebody; however small or large you might think.

Forget about Karr; don't forget about the girl or all the others out there of all race, creed, colour, age

or gender.

If you teach; teach some values and hold to values worth learning, all the while knowing that knowledge holds the greatest value of all. Urge everyone to do well for themselves and unto others regardless of the standards swirling about you. Help people to think for themselves. Be practical and aware that what you do makes all things probable and possible for others. Care about what you do and who you are.

If you don't teach; support the good teachers you know and help them work towards a better end. See the previous advice and apply it by sharing your knowledge.

Knowledge itself is not a degree or a title, teaching itself is not an act for pay. Teaching is something which makes all things about you worthwhile to someone else.

Everybody keep on learning - it is the only way beyond ignorance and oblivion.

I don't need others to tell me whether or not I am one thing or the other; nor do I need a killer or anyone else to caste shame on me. More often than naught these cases are simply times for all to look at those beside them and determine if you truly know this person and then determine if or what there is any good you may do as result.

Unfortunately the bad and the ugly always gets the headlines, ultimately the good shares the punishment, and there are no blanket answers to any of this.

...and those in the appearance of having to do something about it do something about something.

Have a good day all...

I'd rather have a nice cup of tea

Hey! Is that a 'whistling' icon or the same as my response to this whole thread:

"I'd rather have a nice cup of tea and a blowjob.'

Well they could use Don Muang for short shuttle flights to the new airport to bypass traffic.

Who's right or wrong? We could go on and on about this. In the end, it just looks bad for the tourism industry here...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Always a nice little blackmail line ...what a bunch of bullsh*t. One whiner begets more whiners.

Sounds to me like someone fishing for their tea money back...the only real fact that matters is the police actually applied the law. They didn't kidnap her. So what's the big deal? Just a wealthy bit in a tiff because the less wealthy didn't hop to.

Whah...

Sounds like the police did their job, were civil/polite and I feel sorry for them being put in that position by a careless father and a naive daughter.

Let's not forget the outcry when the police are corrupt in a way which negatively affects us; we should be happy when they actually follow through with the law to the letter now and then.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ditto

Reading these posts I am amazed.. Yea i say, amazed 

Few seem to be able to see the bigger picture.... Yea she broke the law. But:

Tourist # are falling for many reasons, economy going down, authorities trying desperately to get tourist #'s up.

Treating tourists a little kinder would help. Piss tests, overcharging, arrests, agression and extortion will simply result in less tourists. Go figure.

Bird flu, tsunamis, ghosts........

Murdered tourists.

Low quality service. Buses driving around minus one wheel, machetis on tourist buses.

English is an international language. In a country which markets itself as a major tourist destination one would expect one english speaking cop in any station. Nobody expects Xhosa-speaking cops.

Try and see further than one detail at a time, and the picture don't look so good ja? Surely that is exactly the job of the 'authorities'

/Rant

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well a good rant is always a good rant.

As far as I know most countries choose or have their own official language. Most people visiting or residing in these countries tend to be aware of that. English may be used worldwide in business but is far from being mandatory in many other functions, including day to day life. However, since English speakers maintain an arrogant stance about usage and it is likely it will continue to spread, your suggestion about every police station having an English speaker on staff has it's financial and logistical drawbacks to be considered.

Cops don't have a lot of money for private lessons and day to day usage has to be high. So encourage the police to have much more contact with foreigners on a daily basis. Hang out on Koh San, Nana, Patpong and chat it up. Maybe even come to all those expat socials as 'observers.'

And what about Mandarin? Spanish? French? German? Russian? Japanese? Could make for an interesting dynamic.

A cheaper alternative is to issue the police the right to sequester Thai-speaking expats out of bed in the middle of the night to explain to people they are in a another country. A sovereign one at that. If you have a valid visa and/or work permit maybe you could get a discount on your next one, or get a 30/60/90 day stamp as a gratuity for country service. This could all easily be outlined in a Thai form you are required to sign to get your papers.

But if you really wanted to avoid all that...

Thailand is a lot like many other places. You can tell by the treatment you are receiving how much trouble you are in.

Here's a handy travel guide to dealing with officials:

Should you find yourself.... It means....

Laying or sitting unblindfolded, unaccompanied in the back seat: good.

Laying or sitting unblindfolded, accompanied in the back seat: not good.

Face down in the back of a truck with a boot resting on your head means: somewhat in trouble.

Face down in the back of a truck with others piled on top of you means: taken for questioning.

Face down in the back of a truck with you piled on top of others means: mistaken identity.

Face up on your back in any official marked vehicle: friendly misunderstanding

Face up on your back in an unmarked vehicle: local misunderstanding

Face up on your back in the boot of a marked car: making social stops on the way to the station.

Face up on your back in the boot of an unmarked car: fine is negotiable but sitiation unfavorable.

Face down in the boot of any car: situation extremely unfavorable though usually not long lasting.

Short walk down a dark lane: physical contact may occur. (Applies to many countries including the US, UK, and Europe.)

Going for a drink with an officer - they drink: Buy the drinks, give them your girlfriend.

Going for a drink with an officer - they don't drink: Buy them a car.

Knock on your door in daytime - packing allowed: situation favorable.

Knock on your door in daytime - no packing allowed: situation not favorable.

Knock on your door in the middle of the night: situation unfavorable and they always lose your luggage.

Now all of these categories have options depending on what type of uniform or garb the enforcing officer(s) are wearing.

A simple color code helps:

Drab local police: inexpensive, short term discomfort may apply.

Colorful local police: more expensive, short to medium term discomfort may apply.

Drab military: inexpensive, can be physically challenging, infrequent death may occur.

Colorful military: expensive, physically and mentally challenging, sometimes fatal.

Drab civilian: expensive, physically and mentally challenging, uncomfortable, commonly fatal.

Well dressed civilian: all of the above, commonly fatal and/or death by bureacracy.

I hope that helps.

If you require any further or immediate assistance please contact your local embasssy or consul during regular business hours or leave a brief message.

I don't see an impropriety in any of the actions of the police as indicated in the story.

Just as I fail to find any sympathy whatsoever with every whiner who has a run-in with the law(s) of any country they travel to simply because they fail to check what is on the other side of line before they cross it.

It is simple naivete and if the parent had gotten the tourist police involved they probably would have explained this in terms the police might understand.

Really, the fact that Thailand has Tourism police in the first place is far, far more progressive than most will find in many other countries abroad. Those who recognise what is well and good about this country will appreciate it and will keep coming (or stay) here. Those who insist otherwise are living in a dreamworld and might do well to stick to Disneyland.

;0)

The first time I had to teach how to pronounce the three regular endings for the past tense, I was given an excellent hand-out that I gave to each M4 student.  As we went through the lists of the three sounds for 'ed' I found one that just didn't seem right.  I was sure it went in the 'sounds like a /d/' list, instead of the 'sounds like a /t/' list, or vice versa.  I lost it completely; made a fool of myself.  After class, some native speaker sorted it out for me.  It can be tricky.

One way you save yourself (as I'm trying to save this thread), is to show your students that farang ajarn not only make mistakes, we ADMIT it.  After all - if you're proceeding on the theory that you're actually teaching, and the students are actually learning - you don't want to teach it wrong and leave it alone.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that's a good post.

But for the first timer coming or hoping to come in to the work force I think the OP has to realize he/she can expect to be working for someone, somewhere who is going to step on them for the basics. Better it begins here and the OP thinks about their task at hand than learning it firsthand from an Asian superintendent.

It's the same in all fields of work.

We all take our lumps. Some of us chew before we swallow.

But who knows, maybe it's different here in Thailand.

Anyway OP, good luck...keep the ambition. That's where good teachers start.

I'm in the stages of finishing my BA and thought it'll be an experience to teach English overseas. Now, im a native English speaker and obviously have no problems what so ever speaking to language with proper grammer.

(clip)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Obviously.

And with that type of post, on a teacher's forum taboot, ....troll?

When you get your new passport, you can still keep the old one with all the visas in it. The embassy will just stamp it with "canceled" but the visas will still be valid.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True. Very true.

The majority of embassies for any country can issue new passports.

You can retain, in most cases, your old passport.

The trend in the world these days is that 'additional' pages are not recognised by a growing number of countries as a valid passport.

Go new dude.

I am only interested in VISA cards with cool logos and card designs.

So split it up:

thaiVisa : prepaid or other secured card for non-xpat status visitors

Logo could be a bulging balding male rubbing his head with one hand and rubbing his tummy.

thai[/b]VisaX : for expats holding one year visas/wps/respermits/etc...

Logo could simply be a blue shirt with very sweat armpits with wrinkled tie

Or you could have:

thaiVisa : big -dollar sign

thaiVisaX : big +dollar sign

Have to come up with something for teacher though. Maybe a polished handgun graphic.

Women in the thaiVisa should have the options for matching handbags, shoes and watches. Maybe something in local gem studding or a nice mother of pearl.

They look like pizza toppings.

If it occurs at regular intervals can be due to an organism living in you gut that goes through a lifecycle and gives you problems at one stage of lifecycle. Get a stool sample done. A friend of mine picked up one of these in India.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You might just be the host of an organisms bigger than single cells.

Get further testing done.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tapeworms and many other parasites will reveal themselves under rather simple (microscopic) blood analysis. Ask your doctor. Takes a few minutes.

Stool analysis will reveal worms and unhealthy flora.

hmmm...it's getting late. I should order pizza or something. Feeling a bit peckish.

I'm more interested in Green's "second hand" technique. Frees up one hand for a drink or the remote.

There is a drug, I have forgotten the name, that we used to call "Cement Pills", that is made for these problems. it can stop you from runing to the bathroom. It may "stop you up" for 24 hours. Old timers in BKK will remember the name, it is available in BKK in pharmacy. Well known cure for such problems. Is known by the brand name of drug, but somehow I can't remember the name right now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you trying to think of IMODIUM

It is very strong and certainly stops you squirting.

When I have this problem I just drink Sponsor all day.

It goes away in 2-3 days. I try to take as little medicine as possible

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Imodium is one of the many pharmaceuticals which kills the healthy flora in your digestive system. Very common and has been around for some time now.

Also: if you suspect you are low in potassium eat about two or three papayas and a couple of bananas about four hours before you go to sleep at night. If you wake up in the morning (no alcohol induced sleep please) and feel somewhat refreshed you can assume you are potassium deficient - a symptom of diarhea by the way. Potassium helps balance your body's electrolytes and your muscle endurance levels, which is why deficiency symptoms include fatigue.

Do a google on Potassium nutrients and you will get all the hits you need.

Soften up your diet from hard to digest foods (hard meaning hard to swallow/slow to digest), soften up the veggies and nuts, slow down a little on citric based fruits (till you are back up to snuff), get some Essence of Chicken (a case - consume at least one to two per day) and brew some chamomile tea (bottle it and keep it in your fridge - good for about 8 days).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oops...I said Chamomile when i should have said Chrysanthemum.

I'll never forgive myself!....

okay...maybe I will.

Yup...those are the ones. They kill everything in your stomach. Flora is such a nice word for it. Then again I've always like the sound of eColi too.

Anyway...most of the above advice is good advice. Just lay off the pills. Keep those for emergencies.

(Watch the expiry dates)

ps: you don't have to lay off all the spice. Peppers in many form in moderate doses are good for you and don't inhibit the growth of healthy bacteria in yo' lil tummy.

The_Doctor

account restored

mistake on my part, please accept my apologies

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cool. But that still doesn't explain the Volvo.

If The Doctor actually has a Volvo shouldn't he be banned again, or at least occasionally bumped off the list?

Eat some yogurt (at least once every two days) which contains acidophilus or get some acidophilus tablets from your pharmacist (make sure they are refrigerated when you buy them). You stomach needs something to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the stomach. Most 'pills' for solving the immediate needs of stomach/diarhea ailments kill the bad and the good bacteria in your system.

Soften up your diet from hard to digest foods (hard meaning hard to swallow/slow to digest), soften up the veggies and nuts, slow down a little on citric based fruits (till you are back up to snuff), get some Essence of Chicken (a case - consume at least one to two per day) and brew some chamomile tea (bottle it and keep it in your fridge - good for about 8 days).

Also, during the diarhea stages, consume rehydration salt at least once to three times per day (read instructions). If your body weakens too much you will have to seek a pill solution to keep yourself from getting really ill. If the diarhea persists up to three consecutive days immediately seek a physician.

You should notice a gradual and hopefully lasting change over one to two weeks.