BangkokGastronaut

The NCPO will not interfere with the charter draft as the National Reform Committee is being responsible for it.

Nothing is ever quite what it seems. The good general will not let that happen.

90% ready as long as you speak/write Thai

legally registered entertainment venues which have laws that strictly govern the periods they can operate daily.

So what is the definition of a 'legally registered entertainment venue'? Do western-style pubs etc. fall under this category? If not, you're going to see empty pubs in the afternoon. Pity a tourist wanting an afternoon beer. Land of Gritted Teeth. But wait...you can buy your way out of any rule or restriction.

I know a few hotels that would love to trade in most of their Thai staff for Burmese or staff from the Philippines.

It's only skilled labour that can move, and it's not on a truly free basis. There are Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for seven professions: engineering, nursing, physicians, dental, architecture, surveying and accounting. The agreements between the 10 Asean member countries means licensed and recognised professionals in these fields can move to other Asean countries to practice, but they are still subject to pass that country’s licensing test. There will be no flood of Burmese or Philippine hotel staff and vice versa.

Thai democracy is in diapers compared to the US system or Westminster system. An elected PM would be a very bad move. George Orwell wrote in Animal Farm, 'All power corrupts'; and it's been shown time and time again that Thai democracy is too immature to govern itself let alone a country. There are not enough checks and balances and those that are in place are simply undermined. If an elected PM took it upon themselves to make decisions under the guise that 'It's the will of the people', then more trouble is bound to happen. No one person in Thailand should be given such a mandate.

Solid? As was my early morning dump....

Isnt the BTS a monorail?

No - if you've ever looked at the BTS tracks it has two rails, not one....(mono = one, single)

never refuse to accept any passenger,

Four taxis refused to take me to Swampy last night.... this ain't gonna happen. Never in a month of Sundays.

It's a headache when arriving at BKK in the late afternoon and having to get to DMK during rush hour.

Use the airport link...it's a brilliant ride and connects to.....ah, bugger all. There isn't actually an airport link in the true sense of the word. Nevermind, Makkasan is a wonderful crap hole that's the perfect site to link to....[fill in the blank - if you can actually get anywhere.]

Has anyone managed to get a non-immigrant O visa to visit friends?

Having looked at the Thai Embassy site for Canada, their advice says this for a category 'O' visa:

• other activities (Category "O") as follows:

  to stay with the family, to perform duties for the state enterprise or social welfare organizations, to stay after retirement for the elderly, to receive medical treatment, to be a sport coach as required by Thai Government, to be a contestant or witness for the judicial process.

This says nothing about visiting friends, which logically would simply come under a tourist visa.

So, seems to be the usual case in Thailand depending on where you go for the test. Some do a true colour blind test, some just flash lights or point with sticks at coloured dots. I guess I need to find out the places to avoid!

In my defense I can drive a car better than 95% of them on the roads in Thailand...

I can actually see Red & green on their own, its when those colours are mixed in with other colours eg the Ishihara test, the problems start...

It really dashed my hopes of ever becoming a NASA astronaut..

Soutpeel - I'm exactly the same, I can see red and I can see green so traffic lights aren't a problem. The only problem arises with the Ishihara test. As males are far more prone to this form than females, is the number of taxi drivers who ignore a red light an indication that this issue is ignored? As for me, I cannot fly a commercial airliner or drive a train, two of my boyhood dreams.

I hold a full UK driver's licence and I'm thinking of getting a Thai driving licence. However, I'm red/green colour blind. Red/green colour-blindness test is not part of the UK test but I hear it is part of the Thai test. Will this prevent me from passing the Thai test or do I need a doctor's note to say I'm OK to drive? Advice much appreciated - especially if you've faced this situation. Cheers.

As virtually every type of work in the kingdom requires you to have a work permit, the real rub is meeting the criteria to get one - this is where many people fall down. This then becomes the reason why they don't apply for a work permit, because they know they wouldn't be issued with one. How many English teachers are out there without a degree from a recognised university? Rather a lot I suspect. So it's a bit of a Catch 22 for many. Do you need a work permit. Yes. Can you get one? No. Do you risk working without a WP or subvert the process? Your call....

What the martial law entails

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Military commanders in troubled areas have the authority to enforce martial law, if it looks like war or riots may break out.

Martial law gives military officers the power to:

- Take action against war or riots;

- Use arms to suppress unrest;

- Search, confiscate or occupy any premises or vehicles;

- Censor information;

- Block, search and control postal services;

- Activate the military court to judge on crimes within the area under martial law;

- Mobilise civilians to help the military;

- Procure resources such as vehicles or logistical materials to support military operations;

- Prohibit public gatherings, publications, broadcasting, transport,

communication, travel, the movement of people or any action that the Defence Ministry deems necessary;

- Enforce curfews;

- Destroy, remove or adjust any premise or location for the purpose of military operations;

- Arrest and detain suspects for a maximum of seven days.

- People are not entitled to any compensation for damage incurred during such military operations;

- Martial law can only be ended with a Royal Decree.

This appeared yesterday on Thai Visa.

Consider also that many farmers took out loans based on the promise of 15,000 Baht/tonne and the financial institutions were all too eager to lend them the money; so, no money from the rice scheme + the inability to repay loans = a spiral down into yet more debt.

Deadly road accidents are common in Thailand.

Stunning piece of journalism/insight

What happens when a country/embassy issues a travel warning?

Do travel agencies cancel selling holidays due to insurance issues?

Normally, when a government issues a travel warning the travel insurance industry will not cover you to that country. So, when people find out they can't get travel insurance, they tend not to book. But it doesn't prevent a travel agency from selling a holiday.