northernjohn

Spot on

Sad to see how the institutions, who officially are unpolitical, clearly siding with the elite, now that the winds have changed! In the interest of the country?? No to keep their "rightful" place at the trough!!

If might take some time, but the existing feudal system have to give way for something more democratic!

Thailand is in dire need of a European style Socialdemocratic Party. And to the Americans here, it doesn't equal communism!

Thailand is in dire need of a European style Socialdemocratic Party. And to the Americans here, it doesn't equal communism!

Well I am an American and I agree with you on that point. But in two and a half years I have not seen that happening here. That is one of the reasons I back Suthep in his bid to create a council to reform the government and put in some checks and balances. To take steps towards eliminating corruption and election fraud. Then hold an election. It would be one that would not be as attractive to the in it for the money that they can take through corruption. It would make room for more honest candidates. Corruption and fraud can not be wiped out but they can certainly be cut way back.

Some times we have to sit back and take an honest look at what is going on and this is one of them. It will not stop Democracy it will just give Thailand time to take a look at it and what the type of government they have is doing to the country. Then an election will be held and people will be much more aware of what the governments function are.

There are and will be those who refuse to change or even look at what is happening but there will be far fewer of them. I of course am presuming the council will be transparent in it's dealings and all sessions open to the public. The only reason I back the one side is because I am more concerned about Thailand than I am a family holding on to power just for the sake of it and the money they can bleed out of it.

Are you serious??? I am American also but what you are saying sounds like you are from Fantasy Island. Thailand end corruption first and get the money out of politics before the election...what a joke. Thailand has never dealt with its corruption and your saying they'll change overnight. Nonsense. And what's this about open and transparent meetings? When was the last time you heard of a public hearing or public comment in Thailand? It's a top down system. Sessions open to the public? You are definitely from Fantasy Island. If you think Suthep and crew are so malleable, why isn't he talking to the government now? Why couldn't process start now? Why does PM YL need to leave office since, as you wish, the process will be public and open? Go back to Fantasy Island.

Yes I am serious that is why I stay away from the fantasy island. You must have missed this part.

"Some times we have to sit back and take an honest look at what is going on and this is one of them. It will not stop Democracy it will just give Thailand time to take a look at it and what the type of government they have is doing to the country. Then an election will be held and people will be much more aware of what the governments function are."

Sorry I did not mention that Suthep is talking about a year to a year and a half to do this. It is not an over night thing as you seem to think. These are people who are looking for an answer to get out of the mess the government is in now. I shouldn't have had to mention that if you had been listening to his proposal you obviously were not.

He is not talking to the government now because they are not willing to do what it takes to straighten out the mess that the government is in now. Why should Suthep talk to them. They have nothing to offer other than a way to continue with the present mess. Do you honestly think a council set up by thed present government and chaired by Yingluck is going to make it a better government. Remember these are people who were trying to pass legislation to make corruption OK. Drop some 25,000 charges just continue on your merry old way.

You are correct Thailand has never dealt with it's corruption and as I said and you missed it.

It is time to sit back and look at what is going on. Then and only then do they have a chance to deal with it. this head long race to maintain the same standards they have that you are supporting will just help matters get worse and worse.

You musty have gotten the extended vacation package for fantasy island.

They are so terrified of elections!

If the Constitutional Court gives the EC power to delay elections, it's really giving them the power to cancel elections. Once we're outside the Constitution 60 day limit, we're outside any legal boundary.

So when EC doesn't hold election for a year, two years, three years, what then?

It gives the council Suthep wants to set up to reform the government time to do a good job. One that will represent all of the people.

I have no problem with that it is better than what we have now.

Think about it for a minute take the rice growers for example. Once the largest rice exporting country in the world in two short years down to third and in two and a half year's it has the rice growers screaming for the money they were told they would get for their rice. That never happened before. Well done PTP some thing to be proud of.

Medical care that was free now cost 30 baht. Not a lot you say and you are right. But it cost 50 baht to process the paper work 1,000,000 patients net loss on each 20 baht . That is 20,000,000 baht that could be going into the hands on medical care. instead it is just floating around in burrocracy and corruption Now we have the medical profession up in arms.

These type of things that will be worked out and a government reformed that will not allow them to happen.

It is there in every media report in every paper in every country bar 2 or 3 in Thailand.

that is, the Army traditionally side with the Anti Thaksin movement. There's the problem.

Yingluk has even offered another election in one years time. Guess who is not talking? Too busy screaming the Peoples Council policies out loud from the stage. Making up policy on the hoof and promising to pay farmers if they support him.... after he blocked their payments.

So this is buying votes writ large and presumably once the Junta is installed in his dream coup, all his rants from the stage will have to be honored. Very democratic I don't think. Sound more like a dictator?

What a circus is the thai elite and their cronies. No wonder the Govermnet is digging in on this. They have to be got rid of. EC, CC, Army acting as a private business and mafia enforcer.

Stick with it Yingluck most of the world are behind you and the ones that are not with you, really don't deserve mention after this latest outrage.

The outrage occurred when she stepped in as inept puppet for her brother, after they bought up votes on the backs of the uneducated. Everything they touched failed and is an outrage. The worst outrage is foreign posters who are thicker than a plank not to see this little oligarchy of ineptitude crumbling as a result of ill deeds; with even farmers taking a stand.

Another well crafted post. So all the 18 coups, the hundreds shot dead by the army in support of the elites, inc' all the students they shot dead in the 70s and 90's thats ok.

If I I ever meet with the approval of jaded cliche throwing expats, I'll know I have lost my way in life.

Just make sure you never read any foreign media or you'll be horrified at the massive corruption level of your aspiring dictator. I know you won't read or google anything as knowledge is a bar to supporting this fascist mob. He is relying on the unthinking and has screamed abuse at all the media portraying him for what he is...

He is now left with a rump stock of disgraced homegrown media (not all of them by any means) one or 2 cranks on blog rolls and the resident know-nowt expats who would love to see the old corrupt ways continue apace.

Now I am seriously concerned for you.

Here we are in 2014 and you are basing all your decisions on the 70s and the 90s Three completely different events with different backgrounds leading up to them. Perhaps you should read the foreign media about Thailand if you can find some. Compare what it has to say with what is really happening here. Speaking of foreign media and massive corruption level.

 
the resident know-nowt expats who would love to see the old corrupt ways 
continue apace.

Have you seen the latest ratings on the current government in the corruption ratings. They have increased 2% since taking office from Abhist and bringing in there own people and some recycled from a government that took corruption to new heights.

Perhaps you might listen to some of those jaded cliché throwing expats and you may find your way in 2014. You certainly won't find it living in the 70s and the 90s.

“I would like to ask the human rights and media organizations what they want the government to do.

I think it's clear for 84 days already what everyone wants the government to do.

Bu the way, didn't Human right watch condemn the government already for the SoE ?

The upper middle class human rights watch responed as required by the rest of their clique. No crediblity there.

Most people are supporting the Government stance and certainly with regard to democracy.

So they paving the way now to limit a backlash if they have to go in and move these idiots.

For me, the more money the complacent middle class of BKK lose, the better. Might set in chain some thought process but I doubt it. Only thing that will shift them is if a lorry load of Skin Whitener can't get through, or if the SOE results in the Soaps being taken off on a night.

Chinese new year... bye by 40-50 billion baht. Not from farmers, PT, but directly from the business who are supporting this clown.

Just because the Government are letting suthep melt down in public and lose his support, does not mean there is no opposition to him.. There is, it is massive, includes many in the army and more than half the country.

You'll hear from them when the time is right.

You really should do a little research before posting. You seem to know nothing about either side of the line.

Baseless accusations for what purpose I don't know. You may convince some TV posters but not many and you certainly will not get through to the Thai people.

When will the time be right. Those chowder heads are going to spend good money on an election that is totally meaningless. There is not enough seats to form a quorum. Hence a bunch of lame ducks collecting government money for doing nothing. The only reason they will get so many votes is there is not a qualified contender. If the Democrats were in they would have a lot poorer showing if in fact they even won.

Have you taken a look at there red shirt supporters lately. They are fighting among them selves and in two out of three past elections in red shirt territory they lost the election. The only one they won was the Chiang Mai one and that was with a smaller majority than the last election also being Thaksin and Yingluck's sister helped her.

If the Government had tried to run the country instead of taking sides in the Bangkok election they might have won the Mayor there. The rice farmers are unhappy with them. They do not have the base they think they have. If they did why would they have killed the white wash Thaksin bill. Make no mistake about it. They had a lot to do with the Senate not having a quorum. It was the only way they could weasel out from under it but they took way to long to do it and people started looking at the other things they had been doing. That is where the real trouble began.

Funny thing is Suthep has come up with a solution and Yingluck agrees to it. The catch is it has to be after the election. She wants nothing changed now. Might be afraid she could not win if it was. Or the chance to rake off huge chunks of money would be lessened to much to make it worth while. I don't know you tell me why.

60 sec a day tops on CNN and BBC

don't know about CNN as we don't get them. But we do get BBC and when they report you wonder what country they arte talking about. Maybe they are still mad that they didn't get a chance to rape Thailand as they did many other countries.

I think the British reporter uses the same speech writers Yingluck does.

It's only busy in the evening. Usually clears out by around eight for a nine o'clock closing. It is a pretty small space as is the locker room. Pool is VERY nice though.

Towel service there is great. Don't know how crowded it during the day.

Where is it located? Also are the machine's maintained?

If any one knows about the use in the day time could they post it.

You are in luck it is at the Maya.

Nah, Maya is an SFX cinema. If it's anything like the one over at the promenada I will give it a miss.

I still haven't been to Central festival yet, I guess I'll have to go to it to see 12 years a slave.

I've heard wolf of wall street is a big let down. 3 hours long totally drawn out.

I enjoy movies so I am not so picky. I go for the movie. I like the big screen beats the crap out of watching a big screen promotion on a small TV set.

For the first time, we can go shopping, take in a movie, etc. without taking the car or spending time trying to find parking. We live about 300 meters away from Maya in Mooban Nantawan. Going food shopping, arranging for delivery and walking home in ten minutes. What a pleasure! Did anyone see the new Rimping Supermarket?

You might be disappointed.

The Rimping which is not open yet is in a small space on the 4th floor. My guess is that it's a glorified and overpriced mini mart.

What a hassle to get your groceries back out to the street or to a vehicle in the garage.

Huh? I was there 30 minutes ago, the Rim Ping supermarket is on the bottom floor, and it opened exactly at 4PM. It's not as large as a couple of other Rim Ping stores in the area but I wouldn't call it a "mini." About the same size as the one at Promenada?

I wandered through the entire place and only saw a few spaces that weren't opened as yet. I would note that the roof garden place isn't open and access (the escalators) to that area is blocked off.

The roof garden was accessible this morning 10am-1pm albeit the escalators were not running people still trekked it up.

They probably closed off the area as I saw workers doing some work during the afternoon as it was definitely not completed.

You get a nice panoramic view of doi suthep mountain, but it wasn't high enough to get any breath-taking views (6th floor)

I posted some pictures of the roof garden on page 1 of this thread.

Have they made allowances for a coffee shop up there?

If they have KFC, I will go.

Enjoying KFC at Festival, but 3x a week I am at the Maya area.

Where is the KFC at Festival, please?

On the right at the front entrance.

The tables overlook the front entrance and m/c park.

Great people watching seats, and an upsized zinger burger meal great value at 104bht.

For desert you can go right next door and have some ice cream at stone cold. Hope I got the name right. It is high priced but some pretty awesome concoctions there.

Crazy, one or more of the three have to fail, Promenada, Central Festival or Maya, there isn't enough customers nor money,

How do you know this? The mall investors likely did their research, along with expected increase in population and wealth over the coming 5 years. Not saying they can't be wrong, but they likely gave it more thought than the average Thaivisa pundit.

Also, competition is good. If two of them prove to be much better than the others then it's just fine if the lesser ones don't make it.

Excluding KSK for now (as it doesn't really compete unless work is done on it), that means four proper malls in the Chiang Mai area. (And pretty much the whole of Northern Thailand). Wikipedia has the population of the Chiang Mai Metropolitan Area (which includes Lamphun) at a million people. Plus tourists. Plus that also for people in, say, Lampang it's an hour and a half to drive over and go shopping.

Four malls does not seem completely unreasonable. Sure, maybe one of them doesn't make it, or shifts focus away from a general mall. That's okay. Maybe the other two new ones only turn a profit in 10 years. That's probably okay too.

Have to agree with you. These are not small time noodle shops. The people behind them have done their research. Promenada will take a while but there is lots of people living there in that area and it is a growing area. It will take time. Some of the shoppers at the Festival will lose the attraction of the new mall and just go to Promenada. Maya well ..................................................... access to mall could play a part in it. KSG I have never seen it overflowing with customers in going on 4 years now.

Yes the Festival does have some different and some up grade shops but they will not be attracting the people all the time and they will just start to go to the closest one for their every day needs. How ever I do like the Tops food floor there at the festival. I believe it has a better selection of cheeses.

Would be nice if the Maya offered a different selection of movies. It is owned by the same group[ as the one at the Promenada and even at that you can see some of the movies in the airport or Festival malls.

You are in luck it is at the Maya.

Thank you for correcting the wrong information chuang gave. Where did he get <a fix route from point A to point B..>

<going from Thapae gate to the airport is deviation from the standard route..>

Leaving aside that there is NO standard route, he obviously is another one that doesn't read the OP, as I said that after leaving Central they have to go down to the airport to do a U turn, so it is part of the journey anyway, not going somewhere extra, and why does chuang think a one minute drive is worth 80 baht or more?

One would think that he has never been to CM to be writing such erroneous waffle.

By standard route i mean routes that the songthaews primarily operate example if you take one from opposite the Airport Plaza that it plys along Hang Dong road i think maybe 20 baht..but if you asked to be taken to say Nong Hoy...then its deviation from his normal route..if he is willing to take you to your destination then the price is subjected to mutual consent..I did not say or think "a one minute drive is worth 80 baht or more".

I may not be dependent on songthaews but i got all these notions from the locals and common sense...

The ones that go to Hang Dong are yellow, and they do have a fixed route, so yes, it is extra to go off route. The red ones that this thread is about do not have a fixed route and are supposed to take you anywhere in the city area for 20 baht, but they can pick up other passengers as well, and do not have to take you by a direct route to your destination. Had I asked for the driver to only take me directly to the airport, yes, it would cost one hundred or more, and I would not be complaining about it.

Pattaya has a far better system.

The basic fare I believe is 17 baht most every one pays the 20 baht.

No where in any code law or rules does it say they are supposed to take you any where in the city for 20 baht. Also common sense tells us that.

Try telling a songthaew driver he has to take you from the bus station to the university for 20 baht. Traffic being what it is he might balk at taking you there from the North West corner of the moat. These people do this in order to make a living and feed their families they are not a charity.

The Pattaya system is OK if you know the city and the places the baht busses stop and start at. Also in many cases are willing to walk a bit. They have set routes and just like the yellow songthaew's here in Chiang Mai will charge you extra to deviate from that route. Not that familiar with the various routes I don't know if they do service as much of the area in Pattaya as the red songthaew's here in Chiang Mai.

In the interest of raining on every body's parade I read the article.

It said rent not live on. Also if you checked the reference she cited it gave a very different story.

I will post it here.

5. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Monthly budget: $1,100

Monthly rent: $400

Thailand is arguably the cheapest place on earth to live well. Expat friends in this part of the world have long tempted me with tales of $1 Pad Thai lunches and $11-a-night hotels (including breakfast and free WiFi).

My top recommendation for retirees considering Thailand in 2014 is Chiang Mai, about 450 miles north of Bangkok, in a fertile river valley surrounded by mountains. Chiang Mai, home to more than 17,000 foreign residents, enjoys a more temperate climate than other parts of Thailand and is an area rich in history with a culture distinctly different from that in central and southern Thailand. Another big plus for Thailand is health care, which is both very good and very cheap. Downsides include the distance from North America.

The OP was a troll post that sucked every one in.

Well done CMfoodie

They have "free" medical in Canada, too. But, The Cleveland Clinic is the hip replacement capital of Canada (and it's not in Canada). Perhaps one of you lefties could explain that.

It's because in Canada they don't have a viable private health care system, so people have to live with long wait times for "elective" procedures like replacement of a degenerated hip in their gov't health care system.

It's my understanding that in England, they have a combination of both public and private health care which seems like a good blend. Actually, it seems to be similar in Thailand. A traumatic hip fracture is going to receive the urgent care it needs in the gov't system. Someone with a degenerative hip problem is going to be placed on a waiting list. If they don't like the wait, they can go to a private hospital and pay for short wait times for a hip replacement.

That option doesn't exist in Canada and thus, Canadians who can afford private care can elect to come to the U.S. for short wait times.

****************************

To address another misconception from another poster:

Thai citizens aren't creating unpaid medical bills for Thai hospitals.

All Thai citizens are covered by some form of gov't health care -- the 30 baht health program is the insurance of last resort for Thai citizens who otherwise aren't covered by some other form of insurance. Sometimes it's very frustrating for their Thai family members, that the 3 - 6 new cases we see each month at Lanna Care Net are not receiving the same health care that they would receive.

Also my mother in law has the Thai health care. Yet it cost me 1,000 baht a month for a shot she needs.

Alluding to the earlier post, I smile to myself trying to imagine the reaction if a fluffy toy or balloon sales person set up their wares outside a UK or USA University graduation day!

That is one of the big differences between Thailand and the west. the Thais know how to get enjoyment out of life. Not just exist.

As a young backpacker living on a shoestring, it wouldn't be a problem. I lived here on far less that $500 per month when I first arrived. Ate well on street Thai food and got drunk on laokao and chang 3 or 4 times each week. the other nights were early as I recovered from this abuse. I paid 2,500 baht for a room and I ran a 15 year-old honda dream. i did not want a relationship but had many 1 to 3 night stands with women who enjoyed a good time but knew they wouldn't get any money from me.

However, as a retired person I would want far more comfort. I would also need to consider medical costs. i would also like to be in a relationship which adds expense. I would want a feeling of financial security.

How long ago was it you were back packing? Could be like $1,000 today or even more.

what do you want. try reading this special thread and draws your own conclusions if it is a 90 day report you want.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/692904-90-day-reporting-comments-experiences-2014/

The is an old saying in My home land, Mongolia

"He who laughs last, did not understand the joke!"

The damage this Sethup man is a causing to Thailand, get in there and break it up,about 06.00 in the morning should do its

And then watch the anti-government protesters gain momentum (and a Martyr) and things will really hot up...

... and the Government knows this, thats why they are sh*t scared to do anything.

-I really don't see where Yingluck can gain any thing out of this. Just because she breaks up groups of over 5 isd not going to change the publics opinion of her and her government in a favorable way.

If any thing it will influence the ones who haven't made up their mind yet. They will look at it and say the government calls for Democracy but will not let any one protest. On the other hand if she doesn't enforce it the undecided will think she is just all talk.

I think she has made another mistake. Bad as it was for her this will just make it worse. The people who have gone home will still be against her. Seems strange to break up the opposition protests when they are the ones being attacked. I wonder if her brother approved of this.

Saw the title and thought 'oh no here we go again on the cheap charlie stories'

But then I thought US$ = 16400bht. Cheapo room = 3000bht. 13400/30 = 446 bht a day.

Unless there is something wrong with my math (always possible) , surely that isnt a major challenge, even without argument/discussion over 20 bht meals?

Breakfast at home -20bht, lunch and dinner out - 200bht total , 226 baht left over for 'luxuries' (!!)- or 1600bht a week.

Where am I going wrong?? Have I got a zero in the wrong place??

Well your math is right but you forgot to figure in utilities which raphe probably not cheap in those type places. Also you are assuming he only walks so he would be limited to the areas he could afford to live in.

What I was wondering is why would some body that cash strapped pick a city like Chiang Mai when there are a lot of cities and villages they could live in at a cheaper price. Lets face it on $500 a month your luxuries are going to be few and far between so why not go where they don't have them any how.

Also the US$ is at a high. This to shall pass It might go to 30 baht. It has been lower than that. right now it is on a roll.

I agree with Nancy's opinion on the author. Living here for a month on $500 is OK but living here for an extended period of time on it you would have to be a hermit.

The last time I did my yearly extension. The fellow doing it told me they generally do 50 a day some times more.

Assuming they are open 250 days a year at 50 a day that would be. 12,500 give or take retirement. Have no idea how many of the other type visa's extensions or what ever people want to call them there are.

Got to be Married ones, student ones and work permit ones. It could add up to a lot.

I don't go to immigration, I imagine a whole lot more don't too. Double it or treble it & you might be close....

Not sure what you are talking about. My figures were for yearly extensions for retirement.

I said I don't know about the other permanent residents here.

Have you any thing to base your statement on.

For example there is two officers doing yearly extensions on a give and take average of 25 a day. This is information the fellow at the back desk gave me. There is only one officer doing the marriage extensions. So I would guess that there is only about 20 a day as from what I have heard it can involve more paperwork. So that would be 5,000 a year. I have no way of knowing if they have a waiting list like they have for the single ones waiting list of 4 or 5.. For all I know they just go in and maybe wait a few hours and it is done. So in fact it could be less. I have no idea about the work ones Maybe they go out of the country and come back I don't know. All I know is I have two friends with their own business and they have to leave the country every 90 days. I think I will ask them about the one that they have to renew. I think they have to do it every 15 months. Not sure.

It would be interesting if people that had knowledge of the other visas could give us a estimate based on what they have seen and heard from the immigration officers.

The last time I did my yearly extension. The fellow doing it told me they generally do 50 a day some times more.

Assuming they are open 250 days a year at 50 a day that would be. 12,500 give or take retirement. Have no idea how many of the other type visa's extensions or what ever people want to call them there are.

Got to be Married ones, student ones and work permit ones. It could add up to a lot.

Who in their right mind is going to lend this government any money to do anything? Would not think they had the best credit

Spot on Dave. That's why they're constantly trying to dream up new ways of creating revenue - arrival tax on foreigners, stripping banks, state funds and entities of their assets etc etc.

Their outgoings must be very high and with the gravy train currently derailed and the 2,2 trillion in abeyance, the cash flow just ain't there. The poor farmers will be way down the list of priority payments.

China is probably their best hope for a loan - although the terms will probably be akin to the merchant of Venice !

The Chinese will be happy to help build and finance a railway through Thailand and Malaysia down to Singapore just as they have agreed with Myanmar to build a route through to India. They aren't interested in expensive high speed nonsense just a line where the trains stay upright on the tracks.

Whether that will appeal to the Thai government is another matter

It wont appeal to them as it was stated defiantly that it would bypass Chiang Mai as it is financially not feasible. but they were willing to put a spur line in to Chiang Rai.

A few grenades thrown at peaceful (?) protesters, a murderattempt on a high-profile red, A few other people killed or injured along the way!

And when the dust settles sometime in the future, who are the winners of this chaotic scenario??

As usual the amart aka the real powerful elite and their high backers!

The feudal system is saved once again and it is business as usual!

Conspiracy theory?? Yes! But as good as any of the other theories thrown around here!!

Just out of curiosity.

Can you explain where all the foreign investment money pouring into this country

relates to the hi so elite? Do they own Toyota or Ford or Honda. Just looking for information.