Osiris

The reality is a huge number of people still do not even know about the minimum wage rise, as a very large number do not read the papers or listen to the news.

None of my staff were aware of it, when i informed them of a pay rise, they were thrilled and from what i learned they still do not have a clue.

A number of people coming for an interview are asking below the new minimum, which only means they are also not aware.

One thing that has not been mentioned anywhere is that social security contribution has also gone up from 3% to 4% and now 5%

I have said it before but will say it again, i am all for wage rise, but what about quality of work?! I just fired a retard who asked for 10 000 baht, university educated, 40 years old and she could not take a food order(mind you the menu had numbers).

I am sure those who quit or were fired, were not useful or productive employees. Most businesses already paid above the minimum wage to good and loyal staff and those who just come, do nothing and go are simply not worth the money(they only add costs to the business without any benefit)

Thanks for bring a dose of fresh air to this thread. You big picture observation is spot on!

Unlikely he would be sentenced to death. The Norwegian government would protest strongly.

It would be a very good wake up call for Norway if he was executed.

And a good wake up call for anyone not Thai...

The big picture, as I see it, is this as the beginning of a domino effect situation. The people who have lost, or will lose their jobs, contribute to the economy, or at least, used to contribute. The purchases and payments they can no longer make, will effect even more people. But this is just one facet. It's going to get worse! Count on it!

I doubt many of these people on the minimum wage, have much residual money to spend on luxuries. I would be guessing (logically) that most if not all, goes towards food and shelter and that's about it.

I disagree with people who constantly say a Thai can live on 200-250 baht per day. It's borderline survival. Not living.

I also agree that multinationals or companies that are exporting say they can't afford the wage increase is bullshit. We hear the same everywhere, in every country.

If you are serving the local community, it is different, but no different elsewhere, where running your own business with employees is hard, when you have high salaries you have to pay, high overheads etc.

I think people just got used to the cheap cheap labour and don't want to have a greater expense than they are used to. For a Thai on minimum way life is hard. Nothing is that cheap here, if you look at it from the viewpoint of someone earning 300 baht a day.

Amras, respectfully, maybe you should have posted to the topic, and not to what I wrote. I did not qualify the incomes of the people, and I believe most of those affected do live hand to mouth, and when the rent is not paid, they have to move. The effect is, there are lower building occupancy ratios, and less money to pay the mortgage. In an over built city like Bangkok, that, and the loss of the jobs, puts pricing pressure on the market, which increases defaults on all kinds of loans. Many of the new cars recently bought...are going to be repo'd All of this decreases the banks profits, and they don't like that. Strap in, hold on, it's going to get bumpy!

A Thai friend runs an employment agency in Ayuddhya serving the manufacturing companies. From his published advertisements a new employee will earn between 17k-20k per month for eight hour standard day plus 4 hour OT, six days per week.

Allowing for OT earnings at +50%standard rate that is about 405-476 baht per day.

So any talk of mass layoffs because of the 300 baht per day rule is nonsence as the market is above this rate anyway. And another point, even at 400+ baht a day, the factories are employing huge numbers of aliens (many legally, as I've seen piles of Cambodian passports with workpermits in the office) because they can't fufil the labour requirements using only Thai labour.

I used to know a close family member of a person in a town "close" to Ayuddhya, who has a company that supplies labor for manufacturing companies, and all of this persons labor is illegal.... Girls lie...

The big picture, as I see it, is this as the beginning of a domino effect situation. The people who have lost, or will lose their jobs, contribute to the economy, or at least, used to contribute. The purchases and payments they can no longer make, will effect even more people. But this is just one facet. It's going to get worse! Count on it!

Please ensure that any comments made are not sweeping generalizations. If you want to express an opinion, please ensure that it is expressed as an opinion, not a fact, and limited to your experience (unless you have statistical/academic data to reference to of course)

As this topic is a bit borderline, however it has been a, mostly, mature conversation so far (which is why I've allowed it to continue to run).

Note: My posts are not sweeping generalizations. Just my personal opinion and experiences I had made.Sorry, for any confusion that my posts might have caused.

I do not find your comments to be sweeping in any sense. In fact, I appreciate your opinion and insight into a difficult matter. Thank you for bringing your intelligence and wisdom to the table!

It would be interesting to see the tourist figures over the last 5yrs to see if he is right to worry. But I'm sure I read recently that the TAT announced record figures for last year and if so he has nothing to worry about! Five years ago one pound got you about 73-74 baht compared to 46 today and one Euro got about 55 compared to 39 today. People will still come regardless.

Yep - and they spend their money differently. That's why bar takings are down in tourist areas, and 7/11's are doing well.

I've got a great little mom and pop shop that sells me an ice cold Chang for 40 baht. I sit right out front and watch the skirts go by... Long Live Cheap Charlie's.

well if this accurate there will be a pcx 150 for sale, and yes of course there will be bigger tyres if not, its cheap enough to buy quality bigger tyres, as i have done for the PCX 150.

The 2013 Forza has a 13" wheel in the back and a 14" wheel in the front according to this website. A trunk for 2 helmets sounds really nice.

What kind of quality bigger tyres did you buy for your PCX 150? I am currently looking for new quality tyres for mine.

IRC wings from forum sponser Sumet, had them sent to Pattaya, they have a softer compound so makes for better road holding and extra width. Brain from Sumet used them on his PCX as well.

Michelins! M45, in China town for a good price. (2200b) Get the same size for front and back, and rotate them every 5000k (200b) You have a great tire that is good in the wet, unlike the "wings" and you'll get 25,000 or better out of them!

As far as I know, any Asian or a person who looks Asian. Eskimos could probably get in. Thais can't tell the difference between most Asians you know. Incas could probably make it and a lot of Mexicans. My only point was; not a good place to have people screaming or carrying on ..... I didn't see any rust or barnacles did you? Or did you just say that because you don't like things Thai?

Unfortunately the racist or nationalist policy prevents me from visiting HTMS Chakri Naruebet (why do these countries follow the British nomenclature of naval vessels? Don't answer, it is a rhetorical question), however it's bound to have rust and barnacles on it, it is a steel hulled ship. Don't be so precious sweetheart.

If I was to be really critical of it I would question Thailand's necessity for an aircraft carrier, especially as they do not have any aircraft to use on it and it does not fill the role it was intended for (I'm thinking second hand submarines, airships and other assorted wastes of taxpayers' money).

Back on topic, the Thais have been assisting the Americans since the end of WWII, and were lucky not to be punished for their role on the Axis side, and for war crimes committed on their soil. They escaped quite nicely while all the other Axis powers had to make reparations to the Allies, at the behest of the USA of course. They assisted the Americans in the American War in Vietnam, they assisted the Khmer Rouge against the Vietnamese in Cambodia, and they are closely allied to the American military and CIA even today.

It's a cosy relationship they share, bit of torture here and an Amity Treaty there.

Short but correct history of LOS relationship to other countries since WW2 - very well done!

"Thais have been assisting the Americans since the end of WWII, and were lucky not to be punished for their role on the Axis side, and for war crimes committed on their soil. They escaped quite nicely while all the other Axis powers had to make reparations to the Allies, at the behest of the USA of course. They assisted the Americans in the American War in Vietnam, they assisted the Khmer Rouge against the Vietnamese in Cambodia, and they are closely allied to the American military and CIA even today."

Nothing more to tell

yep!

These scumbags deserved every second of the alledged torture.

911 was a "false flag" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_flag So torture of foolish young men, who were sold a bill of goods, was just part of the wars operation against an unknown, unnamed foe, for the sake of money and the further limitation of rights of the American populous, and the world ultimately.

Do the research. Don't believe me. After the Kennedy assassination and Cointelpro was brought to public light and thereafter "911", books were written by figures of authority. In the case of Cointelpro, it was proven true by the men who broke into an FBI office and took files later released to the media. The behaviors in all of the cases are similar; get a man of honor to investigate and publish his findings. As a person who used to walk into the trade center regularly, I'll never believe the whitewash.

As for Thailand being in bed with a three letter agency or the USA, that's old news. Don Maung was the airport of choice...

Don't feel bad, there are many people who buy into whatever a government tells them. Thinking is difficult...

Would they have to buy two seats for her on the plane?

It's cheaper in the cargo hold!

Well, if you'd have a window seat and she'd sit right next to you, that would be disgusting. .

I'd move to the cargo hold! Quick, fast and in a mother <deleted>@ckin hurry!

If you want to be America's friend you have to be prepared to get your hands dirty.

And also maintain plausible deniability...

Would they have to buy two seats for her on the plane?

It's cheaper in the cargo hold!

I feel like a toasted sandwich. Anyone seen the spam?

No good deed goes unpunished...

Even if you

Think

you're a blimp

with a lot of money and effort

we can get you down to the size of a

small whale

Have you called Jenny yet?

Now that's a photo I didn't need to see.

Looks like they've used a wide angle lens.

They didn't have a choice...

In the Honda dealer today and was told that non-abs is a thing of the past. I think the value just dropped on the non a bit.

Siam Cosmos

022574100.

I think they have agents all over Thailand

sent from my ..................#

Cheers I will get the wife to give them a call tomorrow.

I'm with them now, and I will not renew. I want no connection to who their related by marriage to...

If it were me, no matter how much I loved the woman, I'd also get a lease agreement for thirty years that states she can not take any loans and has no rights to the proceeds it you ever sell it. I'd also create a will that says the land proceeds go to charity or your children, and make sure she knows about it. Gently, of course. After that, let's hope you don't get murdered...TIT, again, fail at your own peril.

Went for an oil change today at a Honda dealer and it was 30 baht, for today and tomorrow only. The gas is 1 baht per liter, today and tomorrow only. The manager, Wattapon Yaikeaw, speaks good English and is a likable guy. Go get yours. Facebook link with map; http://www.facebook.com/nudpobbangyai?fref=ts

You cannot simply look at just one factor of the equation. The baht by itself is not the big picture. Add in the history of "boom and bust" in Thailand, the over built city of Bangkok, the rice pledging scam, the increase in public debt, the increase in minimum wages, the 100,000 baht tax rebate for cars, the flood and resulting lost revenue, the regional markets that are emerging, the looming ASEAN community, the bottleneck in the "educational" system, the culture of corruption, the culture of lying, the racism against anything not Thai, and the picture is far different. Not to mention the inevitable...

In my opinion, don't bring money here unless you are willing to lose it. In addition, stop spending money here and help increase the rate of the eventual collapse of the economy. Then pick up the good parts at a decent price. Of course you can always spend your money here, I don't mind....

Thai people often tell foreigners that we can't ever possibly understand Thai politics and culture (so don't even try and certainly don't comment or criticize).

Wouldn't it be rich if the U.S. ambassador responded to the complaints by saying, you can't possibly understand American humor!

It takes a certain level of intelligence to understand humor. Don't even get me started on Thai television...

Thailand is now officially the most dangerous tourism destination for Aussies, Brits and Swedes.

No way 1300 Aussies have died in Thailand in the past 5 years. Seriously, that's one dying on average every one and a half days from mysterious causes.

Watch the video on the link on the original post. They clearly say 130.

I wonder who decides what a 'mysterious cause' is? I'd say 'mysterious causes' are an outcome of poor investigation techniques in Thailand (and sensationalist media reporting). In the case of this poor fella, Andrew, how can they say he is one of those statistics when there was no mystery. At least one culprit was caught and charged. Where's the mystery?

That was a tough story to watch. Good on the father for his crusade to track down those who murdered Andrew. Part of me hopes he punched the security guy flush in nose when he tracked him down in Macau.

"At least one culprit was caught and charged", "Where's the mystery" Given the circumstances, you're higher the giraffe snatch...and maybe you're a Thai trying to keep this sh&t hole from being recognized. Sorry, I draw the lines sometimes!

Here's the dilemma for many:

1) Have your child learn English from a Thai Teacher.

2) Have your child learn English from a Filipino or other non-native English speaker.

3) Have your child learn English from an almost-sober former truck driver from US/UK/Aus.

If you chose 3, keep in mind he may miss every Monday and there's a good chance he won't make it through a full semester, let alone a full academic year.

Thankfully there is a 4th option

With application fees as much as 250,000 baht, and annual tuition as much as 1,000,000 baht, the fact that the parents know there is a "fourth option" is glaringly apparent.

On a side note, with fees, for some, at astronomical levels, I'm starting another business. I may need advertising...

I was actually talking about decent NES teachers who work in Government and private schools.

They do exist

Sorry mate, my response was directed at the Scott, the moderator. Sorry for the ambiguity.