Old Croc

Both good places to drive through when going elsewhere. I've spent little time in them, and I was recounting my experience. But you have a point, some Muslim communities have local roots going back hundreds of years. (When quoting please don't alter the tone of my post by highlighting one line to emphasize it beyond my major points)

A couple of things: Phuket is an Island that attracts a massive number of tourists from all over the planet. About the same size as Singapore, it is always listed in the top 20 most visited places in the world. Pre-covid 9m visited in a year. This translates to overcrowding, clogged roads and an influx of all types of humanity, many of the worst kind. Criminals gather where the easy money is The government's love affair, and open armed welcome, for citizens from various despotic countries means that many who come have different moral values than many Thais. Local govt incompetency in planning and implementing solutions, add to the overcrowding. In 10 years living there I met very few born and bred Phukeians. Most of the "locals" come from all over the country because of the available and lucrative work opportunities. Many Thais from any Province have a low tolerance for boorish behavior by visitors when the money stops flowing.

This post should be pinned! Pure gold opinion of personal likes! A follow-up thread could be "Rex Rates Africa". See who rexpotter prefers in the dark continent!

I've had a gun held to my temple. I Immediately (deleted) myself, grabbed the barrel, pushed it away and started apologizing profusely as I backed away. The prick thought he had had a major win, but I later got to see him carried away by his extremities by 4 policeman.

OMG, got me! I guess that one news story was the end of the matter. Phuket Pub Killing: Policeman Surrenders, Says Bullet Wasn't Intended for Woman's Head - Phuket Wan I hadn't posted this follow up because quoting the source was against forum rules. It's long defunct and possibly no longer such.

Yes, the amount of Kiwi rubbish being returned to sender far exceeds what would be expected from a country with such a sparce population.

Phuket police have been known to be trigger happy on many occasions. Some years ago, a Policeman on his way to work gunned down a woman walking on the sidewalk near the circle. Phuket woman gunned down in Chalong | Thaiger (thethaiger.com) In another case a woman was killed by her Police boyfriend while sitting at a table in Patong. Young woman shot 'accidentally' by Phuket policeman - Phuket News - Thailand News, Travel & Forum - ASEAN NOW

The full interaction apparently was not filmed, and the complete story may never be known, but on the surface, we have tourists running from a traffic stop, fighting with a police officer and disarming him. If that's all that gets to court, they're in deep <deleted>. Many of us who have lived there are very aware of the notorious reputation of the Chalong Police. They have been running revenue raising traffic blocks at the circle for a long time. (Their station is adjacent) I won't mention any other dealings they have been rumored to be a part of. Interestingly, another Kiwi with connections to the Chalong Police was in the news a few years back, Apparently, he wasn't good at sharing. Former Phuket Tourist Police Volunteer Garry Halpin Sentenced To 9 Years For Drug Dealing - CTN NEWS (chiangraitimes.com)

Thaksin was never a physical criminal. All his various crimes from ordering extrajudicial killings, fraudulent financial dealings, stock manipulation up to and including election rigging were accomplished by a stroke of his pen, not his own hand. To claim he was not convicted by writing something is just faux-naïf. Thaksin Shinawatra - Wikipedia

"American 19, Appointment made with father’s consent" Parental permission needed to interview a 19yo alleged criminal? Does Thailand have bestiality laws, or will he be prosecuted under animal cruelty?

I did check before my statement and found some evidence to back up my assertion, but am prepared to concede to someone with more practical knowledge than I. Thanks for the correction.

My first para was jocular, as indicated by my follow-up words "But seriously,"

Australian passports are among world leaders with security features which explains some of the delays and high costs. I renewed my Australian Passport at Phuket in 2020 (covid). I received the new one in fourteen days! You can be lucky I guess.

No problem if staying in the transit lounge during a short stopover, but if landing, i.e. going though Immigration, it could be difficult.

The carrier has several things of concern, the cost of returning a pax to embarkation port if they don't have funds to pay for their return ticket, and, as mentioned, possible fines. The Geneva Convention doesn't apply, but IATA guidelines on inadmissible passengers do. IATA - Understanding the Issue of Inadmissible Passengers (INADs) and Their Impact on Travel To the OP, there are no problems with her returning home with a still valid PP. Renew in home country before further travel. The six-month validity some countries ask applies only to non-citizens of that country. Common sense. I have extensive relevant knowledge and experience of these matters from my working life. On occasion, I have even issued special IATA travel docs for such removals when an inadmissible pax has lost his passport, for example, down a toilet.

I wouldn't worry too much, it's endemic to a very specific forest area in Phetchaburi. The chances of seeing one and getting stung would be infinitesimal.

A few months back a carload of monks turned up at our property and wandered around checking out the farm and the views. Turned out one was a cousin of the wife. He had been a destructive alcoholic and had become a monk to clean up his life. It appeared to have worked. A week ago, she got a message that he had been carted off to the "mad house" and was not welcome back at the temple. It may not be the answer for all.

what's going on there? bob. Also known as NoHo it's the arts and LGBT... center of LA. Perhaps someone thinks it would suit you.

A bit of reading for those here who believe their comfort and invented safety concerns overrule the rights of less fortunate people in society who already have to cope with discrimination and access and equity issues. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | OHCHR

Not quite so simple in that case. An expired passport is not a valid travel document. Nor is an ID card. Before agreeing to uplift, the airline will have to be satisfied the document is acceptable by the destination country. This may involve contacting Immigration at the arrival port. Airlines can cop substantial fines for transporting people with unacceptable documentation.

Could be worse. Life has already served you lemons and then when you have to travel urgently, you find yourself next to a loud mouthed, ignorant, selfish oaf who believes the world revolves around him.

I live here, have driven the roads for many years and am well aware of the abysmal driving skills of many Thais. It's possible, but only conjecture, that she did something wrong in the initial, unrecorded incident. However, to try to transfer blame on the woman for the grub's videoed, dangerous driving and cowardly attacks, based on the poor standards of others is disingenuous. I wonder what he would have done if he had been able to open her door.

A Thai citizen flying home with a valid passport. No need to check with the airline, there is absolutely no issue with uplift.

So why are you here late at night? There are very many reasons why somebody, other than you, may be posting at a time your mummy taught you that you must sleep. Most of us, particularly those who venture out into the world, usually understand that people and their circumstances (and sleeping patterns) vary greatly for many reasons. Try to reason outside your little box.

Georgie Boy, it's probably time to head back to church with "Mother" to pray for the souls of the damned fornicators who have forsaken their families for a life of wickedness. After all, it is your business to preach the word to all those who must have abandoned their true family because you spotted them enjoying life in a house of ill repute in a faraway country. Explain again why were you there? Everyone knows if someone lives in a country other than where born, they have become that specter of evil known as "Migrant" and need to be told where they rightly belong. Thanks for stepping up to spread the message about a world as you imagine it should be. If nothing else, it gives us all a reminder of what we left behind.