rayw

This is crazy. Simple really as all beaches world wide are a national asset and as such should be kept as owned by the nation and NEVER EVER sold for private use ANYWHERE. This was always the case in the UK, where when I was younger deck chairs and sunbeds were rented out at fair decent prices to users by the local authority and the revenue raised then decently helped towards improving local public amenities not feathering the bank accounts of unscrupulous pond life rip off merchants in the private sector as we see especially here these days. Of course as was the case in the UK any person can put his own sunbed or deck chair up or simply chose to lay on a towel on the sand (or shingle).

If you wanted food or drink then you simply went off the beach to buy what you wanted and took it to your beach spot yourself, or used the on-beach local authority decently run vendors, again making income for the benefit of the local amenities. Thailand would gain tremendously if it stopped beach privatisation and control based on teh primary motive of GREED, as that is NOT in the public or national interest in the long run. Surely we can ALL see this as a fact and so I am sure can the authorities that make the rules I hope for the benefit of the people and NEVER personal GREED.

Even things like Jet Skis should be either run by the local authority and well controlled for safety purposes, or if privatised then put out by the local authority to private bidders (no not by bribes) on an annual basis and still heavily policed and controlled with safety first in mind.

Once again to just simply ban all sun beds on the beach by individuals is totally stupid, no other word for it and I do not care who that offends as that is simply the truth. Sorry if this is so simple and obvious, but it seems to me that it needs clearly and regularly restating lest any of us forget about us all enjoying a good life with basic freedoms for all whether rich or poor. And just saying TiT (This is Thailand) is clearly NOT the answer either !!

Some seem to think that the Junta are going to be holding onto power for ever. Some have forgotten that they have promised elections when they can implement reform so all the other principles of democracy that were abused by the previous regime are adhered to.

Of course some that cry "We want Democracy" the loudest are ironically the same people that supported a regime run by an unelected criminal fugitive. Bizzaro world again!

Russel's comments about "Thai citizens feeling that they've been excluded" is the preamble the shin regimes have used to justify acts of terrorism and armed insurrection that have left hundreds of people dead. It is also the narrative used to justify engineered US-backed violence in other nations aimed at regime change.

Russel said "Thai citizens feeling that they've been excluded". Yet not one American said that when thaksin tried to push a free trade agreement though bypassing parliament and the senate. Thai citizens voted for their parliamentarians and they are supposed to represent them. Thai citizens were excluded then. No word from the USA on this exclusion of the Thai citizens. Logic to suit an agenda.

Look at the Siam Paragon bombing. After the bombing, the US Embassy in Thailand neither warned people about the violence, nor condemned it. Instead, the official US Embassy Twitter account congratulated the New England Patriots for winning the Super Bowl. They knew it was a red shirt. That is what the red shirts specialize it. I bet if a PDRC supporter was responsible for the bombing the NY Times would do an analysis of it. Logic to suit an agenda.

Look no further than when millions of Thai citizens that America said are being excluded were protesting. It did not make American news or if it did it was written off as small insignificant protests. When 3 students, I repeat 3 Thai citizens protest and are arrested the NY Times do an analysis and state these 3 are the majority! So millions on the streets are a minority. 3 on a stage. A majority. Logic to suit an agenda.

For the US to defend a prime minister openly serving as a proxy for a convicted criminal hiding abroad, and who presided over a regime that damaged the economy while literally murdering its political opponents in the streets, is a clear breach of diplomatic protocol and unbecoming of the alleged purpose of the US State Department itself. It exists to represent the will of the American people abroad, not to impose its will upon others. A bit like Chalerms Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order or CAPO. The only department that did everything apart from restoring peace and order and in fact fueled just the opposite (bizzaro world). So when the State department support a regime run by an unelected criminal fugitive, but do not support a Junta that is offerering reform to ensure the country is not run by unelected criminal fugitives that is not democracy according to the US. It is a lack there of! Logic to suit an agenda.

America said "The future of politics will be decided in Asia, not Afghanistan or Iraq, and the United States will be right at the center of the action" and that is why America have been molding Thailand since the Vietnam war to be a united front against China alongside Pakistan, Korea and Japan. It is no secret and the US began this effort during the Vietnam war as shown here. They then highlighted this push again here. Because of that America is not going anywhere and all this noise is just that. Noise. They must be desperately worried that Thailand will go against their dreams by joining China and making noise is their way of showing their frustration that the time and money they invested in swaying Thailand to its agenda is not paying off.

This could not be further from democracy than a drunk blind mans dart from the dart board at 50 meters. Democracy is a swell handle for them to use though. It keeps the gullible hooked.

Well said. I do not want to knock the USA in particular, but Washington's crazy actions these days do enable us to all too easily be able to do exactly that these days with their dangerous lies, misinformation, arrogance and corruption. So blame the understandable massive current Worldwide US knocking on Washington and nobody else.

It is high time the decent US folk did something about ridding themselves of this corruption and wickedness in Washington and forget BOTH the Democrat and Republican parties next time they have elections. Lets honestly face it the Democrats are not that much better than the right wing fat cat pond life in the Republican party, as both are now fully and undemocratically controlled and paid off by Corporate America and no longer by the US people who democratically put them into power !!!. Clearly US Democracy is all but dead (getting like that in the UK too) so they have no right to spout off to Thailand whilst the currently unelected military based Government is I truly believe sincerely doing all they can to properly restore what will hopefully be this time a better and truer democracy, that is if the Thai folk allow that to happen as I believe the majority will do so.

Most normal Thai folk I speak to seem to support this temporary Junta Government in there commendable endeavours which I hope we are all clearly seeing many benefits already and a lot of positive hard work form them too. Sure probably none of us can agree with everything they are doing but they are doing it, it seems, honestly and with good intentions with Thailand's well being in their hearts.

I am not saying my own country the UK is a lot better but ATM Washington really take the biscuit in their arrogant self proclaimed "exceptional" and "indispensable" dangerous view of themselves !!! Similar posturing to what we saw with past dangerous and arrogant leaders like Hitler and Stalin came out with back last century and look at the results and damage that caused !! I think more nations really need to break away from being US vassal puppet states, as we are hopefully seeing some signs of that happening in Europe now, but only small signs as yet. Personally I really do not want to see Thailand or any of the rest of the World controlled and ruled by corporate run Washington and their evil corrupt ways aiming at total world domination if we sit back and allow that to happen.

Just my two cents worth and I believe what many folk in this World now feel too. No response needed and juvenile flaming will be completely ignored of course. It is really NOT intended to offend or upset any ordinary US folk as I have many US friends here and back in the USA, and I know a lot of them do keep their eyes and minds open, and thus will and do agree with this viewpoint too, and not without sound sensible and logical reasoning of course.

To me what he said made clear common sense and exhibited strong but firm humility not the arrogance we see so often from Washington and must of their Western puppet nations. He said what many other leaders in the World should say too. I respect him for it and still firmly believe he is doing the right thing for Thailand. Well said Prayut as many of us do see the common sense you are making. Keep it up, even as a farang I personally do support most of what you are doing and saying. I am also speaking exactly what I truly feel in my heart as I have never been a lip service yes man in my life, but I really do support what I feel is rightful and firmly believe that overall Prayut has the very best interests of Thailand in his heart too.

Typically arrogant, impolite, and totally rude behaviour of Washington. High time they learned all the facts as to why we currently have this excellently run military junta Government and while it will and should remain until proper democracy can be returned, which is after all their aim. NO I am not US bashing at all but I am Washington bashing, and also bashing most other US puppet nations like the UK and much of the EU who are not much if at all any better.

One point that needs clearly bearing in mind is that the US currently and truly do not have real democracy anyway, as their Government ( it seems no matter which party is in power) is almost totally controlled by, and works for, the fat cat corporates and minority elite and NOT for the people at all. Compare that to here where our current albeit unelected Thai Government certainly seems to care far more about peoples' happiness and promoting fairness than corruptly supporting dictatorial style corporate greed and fat cat self gratification. I can only hope when sensible democracy is restored here it will be as good as this if not better. Certainly I hope it will be nothing like as bad as the current US "democracy".

More likely upset with the thievery of the now 180 Baht ATM charge when you use your falang Debit or Credit card !!! Disgusting sum to be charged (why has it gone up by 20% recently too, way more than inflation) and certainly makes me feel like throwing something at the ATM machine, though my sensible sides prevents me from doing that mainly because I drink very little,

I wont use ATMs here any more I just take my UK Debit/Credit card to the bank counter and ask for the maybe 5000 Baht I need showing my Thai driving licence as ID. Rarely a problem and definitely no counter charge so saves 180 Baht every time. Sure I still get robbed and fleeced by the far more criminal Western banks. Did I ever say I loather bankers and their fat cat led thievery.

Yup, and of course the cars have to wait on the spot of the accident untill the insurance arrives.

Yes indeed that is so so outdated and stupid and time it was changed. In most countries you exchange details like vehicle registration number, names and insurance companies and take you own photos if you have a camera or smart phone on you and then if drivable you drive off and clear the road for traffic. The current system here is so totally idiotic in this respect.

If nobody is injured or killed and the vehicles can be easily driven away, then there is surely no need at all for even the police to be involved as indeed I know that is the case in the UK where all the minor accidents (most of them are indeed minor) are sensibly quickly resolved and the road cleared within a few minutes in most cases. Sure some of the few good things like this they do have in the UK still should be looked at and adopted here too, as we all can and should of course learn from each other in an intelligent world.

I remember my car being run into by another care clumsily in a car park and had to wait there over two hours for the insurance guys to arrive and totally destroyed my planned out day. I was really fuming over it as indeed the damage was also quite small. Total stupidity IMHO and also affecting other totally non involved other road users, really crap this is as most folk Falang and Thai would surely agree.

The anvil shape at the top of a thunderstorm is an indication the storm is dying. The strong up and downdrafts that cause the mushroom shape are relenting. It's still incredibly dangerous to get near it.

Actually not true. For the record the anvil shape is the formation of ice crystals spreading out in the thinner colder air at the greater altitude, as I remember my physics I believe it is when it breaks through the tropopause. Normally as you climb higher the air gets progressively colder as the pressure drops though when you break through that tropopause layer the air will initially get warmer (though still very very cold up there of course) and this temperature inversion as it is called is what forms this tropopause layer. Once the powerful rising storm cell air column breaks through this layer with such force behind it and from below, then it will with such momentum of course rise rapidly and super freezes to form the ice crystals spreading out and thus forming the anvil shape we see. It takes a lot of upward force for the rising air to break through a strong tropopause layer and thus it cannot be an indication of the storm dying at all but clearly an indication of how strong and well established the storm most probably still is.

The mushroom appearance of CB clouds is in the lower area before the tropopause as once that billowing mushroom looking cloud breaks through only then does the familiar anvil shape referred to above appear. Whereas a dying storm cell is indicated by the ragged appearance of the clouds no longer being fed by the updraught of warmer moist air from below. Anyhow that is as I remember it from my much loved physics lessons years ago and also my later interest led study of meteorology, still in my younger days.

Anyway now lets get fully back on this sad news topic, and what of course really matters. As a very caring Atheist (not that it matters right now but yes caring is not the exclusive domain of religious folk you know and in my experience it is often a more prevalent trait with Atheists actually!!), I want to add that I am feeling very tearful and deeply saddened by this terrible incident. My thoughts and feelings go out to all the families and friends of these innocent folk who currently appear to have lost their lives so suddenly today in this tragedy. RIP to the poor victims, but let us still hang on to a slim hope that they all survived somehow, or at the very least that some of them may have. A very deeply sad day indeed.

We must of course all wait to hear the true cause, but I endorse what others here have said here in that the huge thunderstorm in the area seems pretty sure to be the primary or only cause of this terrible disaster.

That's interesting. Of all of the ground school I had I was always taught different. Not that it matters because I'd steer far clear of it. But I just looked it up and you're right.

Thanks for that confirmation as being so long ago as I implied I was not 100% sure but shows a big good character for you to admit what was anyway an easy error. I also liked your factual post about instrumentation with the lack of the normal avionics being available. I understand that to be true from my limited hobby led knowledge of aviation and time spent a few years ago with a fairly accurate PC based flight sim, and indeed gliding pilot theory and practical gliding instruction many more years ago.

Anyway of course none of that is important, nor does it help find the actual answer to what did happen here today, or indeed take away the terrible sadness and shock we are all feeling right now.

Here we go again. Grab 100 baht of everyone and let them off with a "Stern Warning". Why don't the Cops intern them in Buriram or somewhere over the holidays.

Yes here we go again. Perhaps their presence along the beach road is an ATTRACTION for many of the tourists who come here and as long as they are not intrusive on those who do not want to hire their obviously highly popular services, then I see no harm in it, without the leeching pondlife pimps involved that is. Time we stopped this silly facade and made FREELANCE prostitution totally legal for consenting adults and at the same time made pimping even more illegal with much higher fines and prison sentences for those a'hole lowlife who wickedly exploit these ladies. If it were legalised and accepted then there could be an allotted area in Pattaya, and all other towns, for such street or bar trading, maybe a normally non touristy small soi in Pattaya or even a selected area of the beach road, say maybe the few hundred less attractive metres next to the Walking street end.

Whatever, I find this rubbish law all very silly and hypocritical to be honest.

There is an area - it's called Walking Street and it's full of perfectly legal bars where new "friends" can be made perfectly legally!

Yes we know that and it is where many of the girls ARE exploited, and the customers too with ridiculously over the top bar fines these days that are akin to pimping fees. Okay with the freelance type bars like Bamboo etc (always used to enjoy that venue), but not all tourists like loud music and many folk are not big drinkers if at all, so other more open street "trading" areas are I know very very popular if the truth is known. Why does it only have to be in bars??

Oh and BTW prostitution is, I feel very hypocritically, still illegal in Thailand, whether conducted from a bar or from the street !! Like all street trading, there should be nice open clean areas where no in your face street trading of any kind is allowed. That is normal in all civilised societies.

Here we go again. Grab 100 baht of everyone and let them off with a "Stern Warning". Why don't the Cops intern them in Buriram or somewhere over the holidays.

Yes here we go again. Perhaps their presence along the beach road is an ATTRACTION for many of the tourists who come here and as long as they are not intrusive on those who do not want to hire their obviously highly popular services, then I see no harm in it, without the leeching pondlife pimps involved that is. Time we stopped this silly facade and made FREELANCE prostitution totally legal for consenting adults and at the same time made pimping even more illegal with much higher fines and prison sentences for those a'hole lowlife who wickedly exploit these ladies. If it were legalised and accepted then there could be an allotted area in Pattaya, and all other towns, for such street or bar trading, maybe a normally non touristy small soi in Pattaya or even a selected area of the beach road, say maybe the few hundred less attractive metres next to the Walking street end.

Whatever, I find this rubbish law all very silly and hypocritical to be honest.

Yes all goes to show that if you read Paul Craig Roberts excellent blogs (Google it if you do not know of it) you would have been aware he is no idiot and been informed way before this how evil and corrupt Washington is and has been over the past 14 years or so. As we Brits also speak native English we sometimes get mistaken for US citizens so be warned fellow Brits and also take care. I sometimes want to wear a big sign that says "Don't blame me I am NOT an American" but alas not very proud these days to be British either with our terrible Washington puppet Government we need to get rid of, and Europe, Canada and Australia are not much better either.

Let it be known I truly oppose both US and UK administrations over these and similar terrorist style activities they participate in. Statistically the US have killed and maimed more innocent people and children than practically all the world's other nations put together including ISIS and other Muslim terrorist groups. So that makes the US in many open minded folks eyes, and not without good reason, the Worlds biggest terrorist state so is it any wonder they are hated far and wide. Sadly though it is not the people but their sick administration with no decent alternative political group as yet for them to vote for, at least in the UK we DO have an established ready to rule without Tory shackles centre based party we can if sensible elect in next May

As I say it is high time at least the US and UK citizens did something about removing their respective evil corrupt Governments before it is too late. I trust you are all aware that nuclear war with Russia is not so far fetched now after Washington's terrible lies and demonization of Russia and their highly popular leader and capable leader Putin. I am not particularly pro Russian but I would easily side with them these days than Washington and that is a complete about turn for me and many others over the past 10 to 15 years. Personally I am neither Capitalist nor Communist/Socialist but favour real people and true more honourable centre based politics that is open minded enough to adopt all that is good form both the destructive extremes.

Anyway back on topic, yes it is best to keep your heads down right now and in the circumstances after this report do not expect any sympathy unless you too openly and rightly denounce Washington and particularly the old evil Bush regime. NO, before anyone incorrectly says it again, I am not Anti American, any more so than the huge mass of US citizens are these days. I simply share their views as to being strongly anti Washington and the undemocratic corporate run police state nation the US has corruptly become. Yes I feel the UK are not a lot better either. Just open your minds folks and take any blinkers off that you may have on, and seek the truth not the lies and misinformation fed to us all by the Western media every day.

After a reasonable and not unfriendly private conversation with the moderator here he has given me permission to now repost my previously removed post, which is I feel is very relevant. So thanks to Scott for being open minded and fair. Remember I am only seeking the truth and from all I have read and seen and by then I hope applying some considered thought and logic I have to say that does not point me to believing Washington at all I have to say. Suggest others use the links and suggested reading and openly try to draw their own conclusions. Cannot add any more really but just to ask folk to not simply believe all they read, especially over these past few years from what I openly see as a clearly corrupt and dishonest Washington and the Western presstitute media controlled by them.

No flames please as they will be ignored. This is just an open minded honest post expressing my personal well thought out beliefs in respect to this issue and the clear reasons why. So with that in mind here below is my post again. for you to make what you want of it :-

>>>>>>>>>>>

Does that mean motorbikes will no longer be able to use the motorway between Phan Thong and Pattaya?

Good valid point. I hope this is not the case.

It is really high time they adopted rules most countries use re motorbikes on motorways and allow bigger bikes over a certain engine size that can keep up with the general motorway traffic speeds. I know in the UK bigger bikes are fine on all motorways and in fact in the UK most motorbikes go faster than most cars so do not become a mobile obstruction. Sure understand the smaller bikes say under 150CC or even under 200CC should still not be allowed on these roads as they would likely be too slow and thus a danger and of course less stable than a bigger bike too particularly in stronger side winds more prevalent on open motorways.

If for instance I want to go on a nice motorbike tour on my 600cc Honda down to say Hua Hin or even all the way down to South Thailand from my home in Rayong, then it is a total pain that I cannot use the motorway infrastructure to the East and South on Bangkok and the new bridge of course. Be so much quicker, and indeed much safer than using the congested Bangkok normal road system and also I would not be adding to the city congestion either.

If any Government officials do read these pages please can they look into such a simple needed change in the law as after all there are many bigger motorbikes now in Thailand and you can see it makes perfect sense. Even maybe a special licence plate showing the rider has shown he is competent enough with maybe a higher level test and licence too.

Yes...yes mutual benefits.....51% thais & 49% foreigners.

Hmm, what I find so hypocritical is that many of my fellow UK guys I know, as well as Euro and US falangs too, moan a lot about how their countries allow foreigners to take over our Western businesses and land with little or no restriction. So if they are against that then what they are saying is that they surely must agree with the Thai system of controlling foreign investment that they want imposed in their home nations and thus must believe it is a good thing how they control it here. . YES I can understand that too. Or are they saying not in their own back yard but okay to lift all restrictions here in Thailand ??? That is one sided crap of course. I think the investment rules here though are too stringent and not in the long term interests of the nation and really need to be somewhat more flexible and encouraging for foreign investment, whereas certainly in the UK it is probably way too flexible.

Some leeway still needs to be given for 100% land ownership, no NOT for business investment but for normal residential use only by long stay falangs living here legally. Restrict such residential land 100% ownership to one plot only per person and to say less than 1 rai, or even half a rai, as that is easily more than enough for a nice normal family house with a reasonable manageable garden area for those who like gardening. That would save all that crap and potential problems of having to form legal Thai limited companies or complex lease back arrangements with your Thai wife/girlfriend. It would be such a minuscule percentage amount of land and certainly have absolutely no danger of falangs taking over Thailand's land which is their main worry. It would also encourage more folk to come to live in Thailand, especially retirees of course, aiding the economy here. Of course as long as they meet the perfectly reasonable and fair Thai visa requirements, especially visas for retirees which I think are very reasonable and fair....well except for retirees under 50 where the law needs changing to accommodate those folk who have worked hard to retire early and escape the horrid rat race to enjoy life.

Personally I am for free trade and investment world wide as I have to say I am a one world live and let live sort of guy, but I know that will never happen of course, just good ideals that at least we should be aiming towards. But at least more sensible less restrictive rules both here and in the UK and other western nations would make this world a better and more smiley less selfish place to live, which surely has to be good for mankind.

So much crap and depressing cynicism in the responses here to this news, come on now lets give this neutral Government of the people a chance for goodness sake !!.

For me and most folk I talk too here, I have to say we all feel a lot safer since the coup than before. So what they say is factual and indeed Thailand really IS a lot safer under marshal law for now, surely that is quite clear. Of that I have absolutely no doubt and still love what this proactive and relatively honest though for now necessarily unelected Government are doing positively for Thailand. Next year hopefully we can return to what should be a better more honest and true democracy. BUT sensibly we should only want that when there is an agreed new constitution, which will hopefully negate all future electoral fraud as we have seen for so long here now, and ensure that all low life like Thaksin, and his family and cronies, as convicted fraudsters and criminals would have no chance of of even standing for election let alone serving in Government, as would be the case in most Western societies like the UK for example.

I have to say that there is little wrong in my eyes with what the old PTP pretended to stand for (sad it was just lip service though to feather the nests of the convicted crooks like Thaksin). So hopefully with a new constitution, that will now be an honest mandate from the PTP (or its successor party) and without crooks like Thaksin they may even become honestly electable as a true people friendly party. So the new Thaksin free PTP along with the Democrat party (which personally I do not particularity like their elitist more right wing policies though they seem a far lesser evil than Thaksin's lot), should give folk a real proper choice between a centre left PTP for the ordinary people, or a more right wing Democrat party for the more elite sector. Hopefully we may even see a new more centre based peoples' party formed too that embraces all that is sensible and good from both the left and right, discarding all the extreme destructive bad stuff we have all had to tolerate.

At the end of the day it is down to the Thai people what they want as long as they are no longer cheated. The true and honest peoples' will hopefully start to become reality here, as that is what democracy is or should be all about. I believe this current temporary Government believes in those principles too and intends to see that Thailand gets that commendable wish. So for now if marshal law makes us safer then I am all for it until it is deemed wise and safe to remove it. All I care about it a return to a happier and safer and more sensible Thailand with true and proper democracy. I think we should now have clear hopes for the good Thai people that we may actually get that later next year if, and only if, we give this current interim Government our support for their commendable plans, and provided of course marshal law stays in place for now and stops the pond life elements from wrecking any chance of seeing such a decent true democracy come to Thailand and it's people.

So maybe it is a quirky idea but if it promotes a feeling of more safety for tourists coming here than pre coup days, then it is a good thing to promote for now the positive advantages of the current level of Thai marshal law. Getting rid of many of these corrupt tourist scams, which this Government seem to be doing, has got to help a great deal in this respect too.

More PTP fallout, the Thai people will be living this legacy for years, that's what they get for supporting a billionaire corrupt evil criminal crackpot on the run living abroad to run the country

is a corrupted evil power thirsty dictator better for the country? I don't think so since his kind is who REALLY ruled the country for the past 50 years with a short 10 years exception.

Ahmm, have we got one of those types of dictators then ?? I don;t think so. We certainly had one before with the sham of democracy we had here and the Shinawatra PROVEN corruptions (others too not just him, though he was the most loathsome), As merely a happy guest here in Thailand I think this current Government is the most honest and productive I have experienced here in the past 11 years i have been here. Just my honest observation and seems most Thai folk you speak to agree with that opinion too.

Democracy will return to Thailand for sure but hopefully not until there are regulations in place to clamp down on the worst of the corruptions we have seen here, certainly this century whilst I have known this country, and I believe before too. My wishes are for a prosperous and most importantly happy Thailand for the Thai people whose country it is. The cry for democracy NOW by the arrogant but "exceptional and indispensible" US and other Western US puppet states like the UK and most of Europe, shows how ignorant, uninformed and stupid they really are, as that would spell disaster as most of us here know for sure.

its on again next week

Yes the beers but not the eclipse of course !!

Overall this is good news for most folk but have to say I agree with the poster about there being unrepaired roads and big queues at hospitals which IMHO should have taken a much higher priority. Be good to have both and the TV Setop box vouchers and tax the excessively greedy nasty right wing fat cats to fairly pay for it !!!

One thing clearly missing in the announcement is a guide price for the set top boxes. Without this then greedy selfish vendors are likely to work together to rip off ordinary Thai folk as they do in the West to their people too. This needs controlling to protect people from being robbed. So please can I for one ask here the authorities to give the Thai people a guide price for these set top boxes. In fact better still the price of the generic digital receiver boxes should be fixed like lottery tickets so no vendor can rip folk off, and instead just make an honest and decent profit of say about 30%, which in my mind is a fair net profit on ALL retail sales anywhere in the World.

Watch out Thailand. Putin might annex Thailand next!

Joking apart, Putin NEVER force annexed Crimea, the Crimean people massively voted with some 85+% democratically in favour of annexing to Russia, let us all try to remember that. Facts that can be checked rather than the utter crap reported in the western presstitute media. I am neither pro Russia nor particularly now pro America either, but I do like to see some truth which is not what we are being dangerously and stupidly fed from Washington it seems these days !!!!!!!!!! I suppose if you feed folk enough false rubbish for long enough then many of course start believing it.

Personally it should be quite fair and simple, in that you should not discriminate against any race, creed, culture or religion, you judge each individual person's case on it's merits and honesty. Sure tourist visas were NEVER intended for use to stay, live and/or work in Thailand, get used to that as that is all that is now being enforced.

Only thing I will add is what I always say, is that I feel this good and sensible Government we now have here should maybe consider non-immigrant long stay visas like OA for those under 50 who can meet a reasonable financial requirement similar to what retirees over 50 now have to do. So at least folk who have made enough money to retire to Thailand at say 40 should be able to do so legally, provided they meet a predefined laid down requirement, like maybe over a million Baht income or bank account balance, or maybe more than that. Whatever figure is felt reasonable by the Thai immigration authorities for anyone to retire here at a younger age. This would not only bring valuable income into Thailand but also avoid any need and temptation for those folk under 50 to have to try to break the immigration rules just to stay here and all the massive policing complications that causes.

If the British invade N. France and have the Bretons conduct a referendum to join Britain, would that be legal? Under the muzzles of unmarked troups? I know you would say "no". Same thing happened there. It was against the Ukraine constitution.

You could also then say that so was the coup orchestrated by the US in Kiev which overthrew the elected Government there. The US have a huge vested interest in Ukraine especially with the shale gas deposits which even Biden's son has apparently invested into in East Ukraine. This is so very corrupt and all about greed and control of Ukraine's natural assets. Russia I can more understand as this is right on their doorstep, so think how the US Administration would feel and behave if China say took over control of say Mexico and/or Canada by forcing a change of Government there to a more anti US based one. This is a completely reasonable comparison if you think about it.

I think you will find Crimea was and is traditionally part of the old USSR and has been Russian since any of us can remember. The people there voted in an open election massively in favour of being annexed to Russia, they were not forced to vote t gunpoint at all though if you read the terrible Western presstitute propaganda and misinformation you would be forgiven for believing such rubbish. I suggest to get a more balanced view of what is actually happening in this region then Google search for Dr. Paul Craig Roberts articles which may give you a more open and truthful view than the western media are trying to feed us. Please believe me that things are not clear cut and as they seem if you just follow Western media and the corrupt US and its puppet western Governments.

Oh BTW I am neither pro Russian nor pro American nor am I an extreme Capitalist or Socialist either but just seek the truth and some common bloody sense and a better more peaceful life, before the "exceptional !!" and "iindispensable!!!" (their arrogant self description not mine !) US Administration cause us all to be blown to pieces with their current stupidity, corrupt greed and power crazy world dominating attitude. I am just an ordinary neutral guy, like I hope most folk here are, open mindedly seeking the truth and very concerned at what is dangerously happening right now.

Not wanting a long exchange on this as I have too much else to do right now, but suggest you, and any others here who only see the western media reports, become unblinkered and read up with an open mind some of the many articles on Dr, Paul Craig Roberts site, as he and other more open minded reporters like John Pilger. can explain it all far better than I can. Then and only then will you be properly equipped to see the story from both sides and be able to make a more thought out conclusion as to roughly where the truth is.

Watch out Thailand. Putin might annex Thailand next!

Joking apart, Putin NEVER force annexed Crimea, the Crimean people massively voted with some 85+% democratically in favour of annexing to Russia, let us all try to remember that. Facts that can be checked rather than the utter crap reported in the western presstitute media. I am neither pro Russia nor particularly now pro America either, but I do like to see some truth which is not what we are being dangerously and stupidly fed from Washington it seems these days !!!!!!!!!! I suppose if you feed folk enough false rubbish for long enough then many of course start believing it.

Personally it should be quite fair and simple, in that you should not discriminate against any race, creed, culture or religion, you judge each individual person's case on it's merits and honesty. Sure tourist visas were NEVER intended for use to stay, live and/or work in Thailand, get used to that as that is all that is now being enforced.

Only thing I will add is what I always say, is that I feel this good and sensible Government we now have here should maybe consider non-immigrant long stay visas like OA for those under 50 who can meet a reasonable financial requirement similar to what retirees over 50 now have to do. So at least folk who have made enough money to retire to Thailand at say 40 should be able to do so legally, provided they meet a predefined laid down requirement, like maybe over a million Baht income or bank account balance, or maybe more than that. Whatever figure is felt reasonable by the Thai immigration authorities for anyone to retire here at a younger age. This would not only bring valuable income into Thailand but also avoid any need and temptation for those folk under 50 to have to try to break the immigration rules just to stay here and all the massive policing complications that causes.

who said anything about crimea?

What a strange comment. Where was the last place that became annexed to Russia hmm ? Was it maybe Crimea ?? So when it said "NEXT" it is surely implicit to anyone with a modicum of grey matter that you are referring to Crimea as that was the previous occurrence, and YES do remember they annexed through the free democratic will of the people, so whether you or I or the currently insane US administration agree or not, is of irrelevant if you believe in the free will of the people as I do. and yet the US Administration only pay lip service to this doctrine it now seems.

Sure Somtamnication was just joking as per his emoticon, and I appreciate that of course, but still I like to try to ensure people do not get their facts wrong especially considering all the clearly apparent lies and misinformation in the Western media these days!!!. That is all on this subject from me as the point is by now surely made.

I think Ukraine needs saving from the Americans not the Russians. If you want to read the other side of the story so you have both views and can objectively decide what the truth is, then just search and read reports from Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, (a reputable US citizen who served in a senior role in the Reagan administration). Go on treat yourself and Google his name and read his stuff on his website blogs, you may just become more enlightened as to who really are the bad guys. Certainly has opened my previously way too closed mind and put me onto seeking the real truth about Ukraine, which seems sorely missing from the Western presstitute media feeding us blatant and clearly misinformation and propaganda that will lead to the very last war if we let it.

Oh BTW I think Russians are happy with their life and do now travel all over the world too since Putin got rid of the robbing corrupt Oligarchs. I am neither Communist nor Capitalist in its current extreme incarnation, but right now looking totally openly and objectively I really do not trust the US Government at all, as they have been caught out in many many lies lately, I have more faith and trust in Putin right now I have to honestly say, as all logic and reports points to him being in the right here.

How would the bloody "exceptional" and "indispensable" US Administration feel if say Russia orchestrated an overthrow of the Mexican Government and put in their own puppet one as the US have it seems clearly done in Ukraine. The US administration is so arrogant and corrupt, fortunately I have many US friends who also see the truth and agree with that opinion too. The UK and Euro Governments are not much better being lap dogs and puppets to the bullying from Washington.

Anyway respond all you want but I will not add more here as I have not the time to spare on a long dialogue on this one, just do the research yourselves and make your own mind up as I and many others now have. Nothing I have seen so far has even remotely made me change my viewpoint on this issue, so I really doubt anything posted here will change it, though with I hope an open truth seeking mind, I do read stuff even if I do not respond.