sting01

What the shope told was the polite form of : back off, you got what you deserve.

Following that, play hard you too : report them first to Microsoft, and eventually to the police too (be sure to ask Microsoft to help you in that case).

Sound nasty? Well to be honest they sold him something that is not working (or does they told you BEFORE you paid it was a fake window?).

Another solution is to find a non legitimate CD who have the tool to remove Microsoft genuine tool.

I do bought one in Pantip, it's written in BIG (lower left corner) GENUINE PRODUCT ... what a laught but at least you can remove the Microsoft genuine tool

Nice thing is, alot of the crap are already getting refused re-entry at the border now.

Nice to see them slowly draining away.

Today crap = not able to find a job that pay 60 000 k bath per month.

Still today, what is the average income of the average thai? 10 000? more? less? Just compare ... Equality mean for the same work you have to earn the same. ...

What about tomorrow?

Well crap will be the retired who can not let 2 M of bht in the bank without touching it (one exemple).

or

crap = those who can no afford to buy a new condominium every 3 years (it will imply it will be a new visa valid for 3 years).

AM I silly enought? I hope, because I tried to be silly as much as you were by calling crap people who are not necessary crap (what about the english teachers who can not have a WP because their schools do not process their documents? are they crap too?).

I heard from a TV (ASTV?) that Samak and Sudarat went to France.

I agree with you I'm happy with this so far. I also heard that major investors (funds) aren't planning to reduce their holdings in Thailand.

It would be nice if all the proThaksin dirtbags packed their bags and left LOS. Some of the proThaksin posters should leave too. There's got to be another dictatorship for them to live under, maybe in Africa?

For sure there is no need for any of them in France, nor in any former french colonies in africa. I am unsure about the thai constitution, but french usages is : if a person is no longuer an official of a thirdcountry, he/she have to apply for a refugee visa at the end of the courtesy period. It mean ,amongst other things, you have to be relocated in a temporary shelter, places that are kinda like a jail. Knowing my government is actually looking for 2 billions of euros , and knowing also the sense of humor of my governement (typically french humor) I am suposing they will invite Misters Samak and Sudarat to first move some cash in France (like we have to do to apply for a retirement visa in Thailand) and then take (seize????? unsure how to spell it in english) on the ground it was not fairly earned and the thai government is asking for blocking the bank accounts. If was made in the past, I hope they will do it too.

The procedure is not the Governement who claim the money is for him, the procedure simply block the owner to touch the money and the money is moved to the central bank (interrest are the legal and the difference btw the real interrest and the legal is simply give the central bank).

Errm....US$75,000 is peanuts when it comes to foreign investments.

And how does you home country ease the plight of foreign investors with as much as US$75,000? Allow them to stay 12 months of the year and let them do visa runs?

the careful observer will note that if the new rules are as described in the latest offering, the thai gov't still lets non-investors do visa runs.

the careful observer will also note that $75,000 in new york is a middle class salary, you're just getting by. how many thais do you know who make that much, before taxes, in a year? more importantly, what percentage of the population are they?

there are probably good arguments against the 3MM investment visa, but comparing it to western visa requirements isn't one of them. i dont know if you noticed this yet, but thailand ain't that much like my home country (USA) and probably not much like yours.

My point was that when it comes to foreign multinationals, US$75,000 isn't a lot of money.

Forget comparative wages. Let's try purchase power parity. US$75,000 might let you open a shop, or, some other small business. Does your home country allow indefinite visa runs for aliens that can open a small business of the equivalent in Thailand? I don't think so.

In my country, a foreigner, outside EU, who open a legit business and can keep it alive will not have visa run, he will simply get a 10 years card + a visit to Police station the nearest of his residence every 3 or 6 month.

More, a foreigner , still outside EU, who can enter legally will often get 3 month visa, during that time he will be able to SEARCH a job , it will be up to firm to do the paper work and if not the firm is legally guilty (not the foreigner who is considered in a position of over stayer 'in goodfaith'). If during the 3 month you want a prologation, the foreigner have simply to go to the main Police station of the city (before visa expiration). If the foreigner is fool enought to create a business (any size) then case 1 explained above apply, he will simply have to go to the main Police station to have a visa change.

The only thing who sucks is the time it took : almost 2 hours to have a prologation, and (a terrible shame on the french administration) about 1 month to get a a modified visa from tourist to 10 years(aslong as you have all documentation).

its a tragedy that this drunken farang got a bullet sandwich for his bad manners.

but punters must learn to treat thai with respect and dont get to pissed up.

different country , different rules and it never happens to people that play within the rules.

reason being , there's plenty of pissed up farang's with bad attitudes that need sorting out.

now dont spit the dummy punters as its not good that this guy got a bullet, but we all must remember were we are, and what's going down.

Punters?

Treat thai with respect mean simply most of the time have to put your pant down and let them f*** you for free. IF you like (faggot?????????) that is good for you, in my case I am nor fagg nor BDSM, so I still do not accept to put my pant down for some ######ing idiots.

Another point, I do not call those bastards who think foreigners are lower than them thais, OBVIOUSLY they have nothing to deal with traditional thai culture. They are simply mentally ill sick as nazi were, or any other people who think they are better than anyone else.

So I repeat , because mostly it's hard to get my point : there is no way to identify those murderers as thais , mean as the respectfull children of a tolerant culture, but simply as murderer. Also, the day you give up your personnal honor by accepting willingly what is unacceptable is the very same day you became worst than them (a low class motha######a).

I do understand we do not have the same friedns nor meet the same kind of thais. I would glady die rather to have to claim my firend had a hit man and messed up with the local mafia. If oyu are a foreigner, I simply invite to take a charter to your country where I am sure some judges will be glad to meet you. If you owne a thai ID, so you are in fact a disgrace for your nation and I do hope your father did not recognise you and by so do not let you make his name a symbol of cretinity.

THe Visa issue. It's really quite simple. Thailand is no longer the Thailand many once knew. The traditional Thai generosity and hospitality is being fazed out. This is clearly reflected in the continuing increase in the cost of immigration fees, as well as many other aspect of business.

Why is this? Thailand is no longer Thai. It is operated predominantly by Chinese and Thainese business persons along the classic, typical lines of the ancient Chinese business traditions. The warmth and hospitality the Thai's have been famous for for centuries is being replaced. It has no cash value. For those of you who don't know and understand the typical Chinese business ethic, there are only two aspects to dealing with other people. Family and profit. Nothing comes before these two and these two rigidly rule and dictate all life in any Chinese society.

How this effects the farang.

First, replace the word farang with money. That is all you are. Even if you manage to gain some degree of status, you are not a local, you are not an inside part of a Chinese/Thainese business operation, and you are certainly not a member of a family.

Thailand has also made it abundantly clear, as China has already established, human rights are valueless. Human rights and pursuit of a life of dignity has no cash value. Thailand is not signatory to the International Refugee Conventions, and commonly and flagrantly violates human rights laws with complete impunity. Their treatment of both refugees and stateless tribal persons is quite clear as far as this is concerned. No profit, no recognition, no rights, no voice.

This attitude is reflected in many aspects of the immigration laws. Notice things such as exemplary conduct on behalf of the farang wishing to stay in Thailand for an extended period is not recognized. There isn't even a place in the system where this can be taken into account.

The newest set of rules and restrictions reflects this purely business ethic. Examine. The casual visitor is cash. While some are dirt poor backpackers, many are big bucks tourists. The new rules regarding Visa on arrival go with a charted trend. The most amount of cash from visitors comes in the first two weeks of the visit to Thailand. This cash flow slowly tapers off until after a certain period of time and the visitor only offers a minimal amount of profit. The immigration department is presently experimenting with what length of time is sufficient to relieve the visitor of most of their cash in an unrestricted manner. Since it is deemed there is still a significant profit to be made from the extended on arrival visitor, they extend the hospitality gesture to 90 days. Beyond that period of time the profit becomes too minimal in comparison to the expenses. As it is impossible to discriminate between the flea infested backpacker and the megabucks crowd, they are simply offering an envelope of time which fully accomodates the greatest amount of money.

As any long stay person has noticed, everything is being upscaled. 5 star hotels are popping up like mushrooms. 100 baht a night guest houses are a thing of the past. As the conglomerates, coporations, and group business venture interests consolidate their holdings, they are moving farther and farther away from the minimal profit ventures. The smaller businessmen are being phased out.

What this means to the expat farang is simple. Are you Yi baht? If not, please leave. You as a person has no cash value. You are not wanted in Thailand at all. Only your money is desired. As the flow from your pocket decreases, so does your desireability.

Sound mercenary? Depressing? Unnecessarily pessimistic? It isn't in the least. It is only good business sense, as tried and proven since before written history throughout China.

Now some will immediately point out the long stay expat still represents some degree of cash flow. Examine where this cash is flowing. The big buck short stay visitors money mostly goes into the pockets of the large corporations and business interests. The long term visitor patronizes the locals. While this injects a cash flow which is eventually realized by the people at the top, the flow is insignificant compared to the preferred short term visitor. The short term visitor dumps 10,000 to 50,000 per day or more directly into the corporate/conglomerate pockets, the long term, 1000 to 5000, or less. Now keep in mind, the ones who run the country and make the rules, generally speaking, are all in the 6 or 7 figures per month income and already have established their ways of siphoning off the money from the little folks without having to rely on the long term expat farang.

And so, it is up to the long term expat to prove their value to the general economy. The problem there being, you can't. You cannot prove your money is going to support this or that political faction. Will be firmly attached to a certain family or business groups special interests. Quite to the contrary. This influx of cash is uncontrolled and unregulated. This, as a general rule, is very much unwanted. Thailand is ran and ruled by money and power in a strict dichotomy. The last thing the powers that be want is the little guy amassing significant amounts of personal wealth.

That is rude, crude and hurt .... because it's well written, well thinked and for most part TRUE.

I agree for the most part of that post, saddly

Rather than focuse on the BP, why not elevate a bit the discussion and try to maybe follow the OP post : Long Stayers Criminal.

I posted heavily the last 24 hours my concerns and fears on this subject. Fact I am a long stayer (legally), but does it make me criminal? Will I be a criminal October the first, because I was following the law in the past?

What do I see in those new regulations is not the will to clean the country from some scumsbags, such as incompetent teachers, alcoholic people, sex addicts (not the usual sexpats, fun is a natural thing), people bribing the administration or the officers, people who drive harley without an helmet (usual amongst our community in pataya, then when arrested they bribe the police officers), people using their money power to illegaly build resorts ... there is a long list of scumbags who have millions to invest that should be kicked from here (as from any country). But do not worry, it will not happend.

So what do I see in the new regulations :

1) by promoting that new regulation the governement will on the same time touch both the electors, and the farangs. It's communication, the electors will be sure the governement will never allow foreigners to mess up with Thailand. The foreigners on the same time are sure if they are true investors they are in the right place.

2)The governement will simply make place for the asian neiborought who are waiting to come here. Remenber some month ago it was some accord btw India and Thailand to send indians teachers here.By so, the so called BP teacher who somewhere cost a lot to the school (25 000 up to 40 000) will be replaced by someone who will not pretend to teach , but do exactly what he/she is asking to do, and for a lowest salary. Qualification is not the issue, but cost is the issue. Anyway the educational system is not looking for excellence, as long as you can pay the tution fees you will get the diploma.

3)Rather than to be oriented against the BP, those regulations are oriented against a midle class foreigner who live, invest, work and have a familly here. I stress out the words 'middle class', because I think about the numerous expats who invested their life saving here, by life saving I mean modest sum (let say less than 5 M of bht). Mostly they did so because they decided for whatever reasons to restart their life here. Well, those regulations will make things HARSH for them.To give exemple, I wonder if George could follow the regulation after he bought Thaivisa (some years ago), or what about IndoSiam 4 or 5 years ago? Both of them had enought wealth to create several companies here, and to pay their bills untill their companies generate a benefit, but for at least 3/4 years they were far to comply with the rules of the 60k for a WP (without tricking by a way or another the administration). I give those 2 exemples because I know personally those people, I can swear on the Holly Bible they are HONORABLE gentlemen and far to be scumsbags. But some years ago, they would be in the same problem than us now.

4) my thought for the outcome : well, like for the APEC meeting in 2003, it will be a lot of noise, and not much effect immediatly. IIf I understood well, the 1st of october the visa runners will got a red stamp for their last run, so they will stay here for anoter 30 month. If lucky, and if they have to run the 29th of october, maybe the immigration officer will be bored to use the red color and will use a black ink ... But, on the same time, we will see less of those middle aged men with some moneys earned abroad coming here and trying to re start their life. To do so, dream is important, dream to get a young and nice wife (natural and legitimate dream), dream to create a legacy for the kids, dream to do something good for good people. Those people will certainly look at 2 times before to come here again. Mostly the story was the same, they came, get a crush on someone, found the beer cold and cheap, the som tum decilious, and after 2 or 3 trips in LOS decided to stay because it was easy. If it became difficult, there is still countries where you can have something equivalent (maybe with inferior quality about the beer).

BP is the peak of the iceberg, it's easy to speak about them, like it's easy to joke the kathoeys. But as many of the posters here claim to be from the wealthly part of the western countries, it also imply they had educations and by so able to see deeped than what 'the princes who gouvern us' want us to see. Speaking about BP is like to state an english teacher is necessary a Britt who is alcoholic and cross dresser (using druggs eventually, and with strong paedophile desire).

Another stance is a little bit deranging me, for some of us if I read well, it's obvious we have the duty to substain the thai economy, and not the grass roots but the big business. That is a huge concern to me. Big business is heartless by definition (it's a fact, not a judgement, big business exist to make money and by so pay back the shareholders, nothing wrong with that I do agree). So it's only if you refer to some old, very old economic theories that you can think the life of the basic citisens will improve because some corpotations are becoming bigger. Thinks does not work that way, and trust me it's better, business is business and have to make money.But the bottom line is the corporations who come here do not install new plants or fabrics mostly, but services. So in the national accounting that is okie, but for the economical developement that is not okie. A simple T.E.S. (tableau entree sortie in french, I do not know the acronym in english) will show easily only 3 iterations can be allowed when services account for more than 30% of PNB. Only industry allow 5 + iterations , and by really increase the economy potential.

Last point also, how many of the hightso tourist go to eat in the noodle shop for 23 bht (27 if they ask for ice with the water)? So yes a scumbag does not have a huge economical power if compared with highso tourist, but 23 bht is vital for the lady who sell som tum, or tom yum. no 23 bht, she can not pay the tution fees, and she will have to take her daughter from school to sell gurlands on the street .... Not tomorrow for sure, but time will come. So what will happend, well it will against political turmoil, and when there is uncertainity the first to stop investment are the big business.

But it's not for tomorrow, nor even for next month.Thailand will not colapse because some people will not get another run. It's just it show what direction things are moving. I bet my last coin than soon people who bought condominium will have also some problems, such has they have to buy a new one, because they bought it 10 years ago and by so had enought time to visit the temples. Sound crazed, but it will come soon. The key is not an hanfull of people who are kicked, the key is they have to continuously invest , if not they have no reason to stay, and what they bought have to be returned to their original owners. That is how things are moving.

Yes I have known people that have made $$ here

But yes you are bitter and angry ... acknowledge that fact and then decide if you are intersted in staying here. If you are then READ up on how you can get a non-imm-b easily. You have a Biz. If it is a legit biz and you take the paperwork as described on the main site at http://www.thaivisa.com/422.0.html

or

http://www.thaivisa.com/332.0.html

This has been a rough time for people with interests here ... but you CAN learn and make it work for you probably!

Well, made money here I have also know people who did and do it. But the question was : Did you know someone (I mean an individual, not a corporation) who after years of work here as 'shop owner' was able to get back the investment, sold his business and was able to move the whole (himself, his familly and his money) safely without headhache. For that I do not have exemple.

No I am not angry, not at all. Thailand was my first stay in asia, having 15 years of experience of africa, I can tell the difference. Thailand is way better than almost all western african countries.

But I am scare/affraid, one day I will not be able to come back in Bkk and will have to be stuck in Polpet.Because I am a small player, I do not generate huge income, nor am able to generate more income. So I will never fit the standart of the 'good investor' who put some millions of bath in the bank, support a familly (with the 3rd meaning of this word, mean distant aunts , cousins ....), nor I am ready to forget to my own culture to start to turn in circle while moving my hands just to make the local laught (being not a thai , it's obvious I can only be like an monkey when I try to imitate then dancing)

But I am not bitter , the person who share my life is thai, and I never been happpy like that before. And I know I am happy because her culture, her religion, becaus she is thai.not Bitter , but just I do not want to be awaken one morning as a criminal. Because that is how I feel. I am guilty to not be highso, I am guilty to prefer simple life (50k or 60k seems to me more than okie to have a correctlife in Bkk). I went here not to change thailand for good, I went here because one person and because the fact to live in a developping country allowed me to compete against indian coders. If it became difficult for me to have a professinal life, or to have uncertain (uncertinity is a huge factor of stress) so I simply prefer to go. As stated Thailand will NOT collapse without me, maybe Thailand will be better (if a 500 M investor take my place I suppose Thailand will be better). But I am moving also because I think I will be better.

About WP, I think you do not understand, I strictly do not qualify anymore for a WP. I did qualify in 2002, but with the 60K of salary I simply do not qualify (60K is my max earning for the last 3 years). So rather than finish in jail, or be blocked on the border, I will go where I can open simply and easily , without huge investment a new comp, and I will do so ASAP, because if I DO LIVE the country without arresting, I will still have a bank acount, my company will still exist .... and maybe in 10 years I will be able to be back.

I think you are one of the GENTLEMEN they are trying to get to pay your taxes! If you stay in Thailand for more than 180 days a year you have to pay tax on money you bring into the country

If by gentlemen you are supposing my family is a noble one, indeed you are right.a Pope (calixte II) , a huge bunch of archibishop, title of archcount of the H.R.E. can make commoners to call us gentlemen.

I also precised that I DO PAY TAXES, Lumluka taxe office. SHould I invite you to not use a beer bottle as eyeglass, or maybe use some spare time to go to primary school and learn how to read correctly.

What I describe is an UBUESQUE (senseless situation) where one person can legally create a company, get a bank account (Siam commercial bank) for both the company and himself, both with a CC, where a person pay taxes, but is not able to get a legal document making his stay longer than 30 days.And then now it will be no more than 90 days every 6 month.

Taxes? I come from france, taxes are about 48% of the income there, so do oy uthink I mind to pay here. What a joke indeed. I never tried to escape my olbligations, because I am a foreigner and by so I have to more straight than a thai.

What I said, but obviously you missed the point, is the system is not looking for people like me. I do not use cellphone, so yes AIS or DTAC do not earn a penny of my money. The noddle shop at the corner of my street get my money.... If you can understand the parabol. So yes I'll go, because I do not want to break the law, nor going to jail, not even bother the administration people with my forms. I am sure they have better to check all the numerous foreign investors like you you are begging to invest millions of baths in thailand (Temasek just did it, I suppose you know how Thai people were happy to learn it ... Guess what is my point ... because when the selling of AIS will be nullified on the ground of selling thailand be sure it will next all the small and middle size business owned by foreigners).

Soon, let say within 10 years, if this new regulation is enforced, what is my situation will be the situation of people how owne condominium, owne middle sized business, own cars .... they will simply not fit anymore the regulation, because suddently thai administratin will discover mafia or other gangs owne condominium.

What is trully funny is the following : those who indeed breaked the law by not going to visa run, working without any documentation, paying no taxes, living in the dark, those one will be no afected. They will simply continue to hide in the dark

If they were one third of the way smart, they would simply let the falang fo to immig and pay a few hundred B to extend.

Instead of causing more traffic, more wasted fuel [so much for "energy policy"] and making the Burmese and Lao rich.

I guess we file this under "not smart enough."

On the contary, The Thais are being very smart. A poster mentioned about the advertising abroad, this is exactly the point. Thailand wants foreign people in thailand, or rather they want foreign investment....the average sex tourist who does a 30 day run isnt the sort of person that LOS wants.

On the other hand, a businessman who wants to legitimately set up a company that pays taxes and employs Thai personnel is welcome via a work permit.

I can see their point. Someone who has been in Thailand for 5 years on continious 30 day stamps does not bring money into the country and in all honesty is more than likely working illegaly....

The smaller issues is that of those people under 50 who have more than enough money to support themselves but are not ledgable for a retirement visa - This is where the Thai's should change the law.....but at the end of the day, its THEIR country.

One point, very personnal because it's my situation:

I live in Thailand since 01/2002, with a tourist visa (monthly run).

I do work, but not illegaly, I do out sourcing work by internet. The reason is simple, even if I created a company (I did in 2003 and still pay Taxes on it at LamLuka taxe office) I am not entitled to a WP because I do not hire 4 thais. I also precise I tried to hire thais people, but obviously they were not willing to work with the hight stress that out sourcing IT work give usually.

So, yes that steps by the authorities can be a good one (clean a little bit the country from the shitbags who stay only because the beer is cheap and the girls hot), on the oither hand, mostly those shitbags pay, I mean they have money from outside Thailand, obviously they are not able to work too tired by f**** the girls and to drunk by the beers they drink.

The problem, and it's not a immediate problem, is I am not the only one by now to do 'out sourcing', several peoples/small companies are doing so. Thailand was the right place, internet was okie, life cost was okie too and it was possible to compete on this sector with the indians (same price but european/us work process). The soler results will be to push us to another neiborought countries (Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia ....). As our investment in harware are small and mobile, move is easy and noting will be left in thailand (a firm that move somewhere else will let the buildings, eventually a plant/fabric and the skills knowledges the local workers have acquires ... alll in one it's easy to re run the business in those conditions .... for IT , it's totally opposite, skills and knowledge can be aquires, but the will to work 15, 18 or more hours , and I mean work not time spend to chat).

I do agree it will not at first be a huge amount of money (btw us I earn about 50/60 k a month) but it's money who was spend integrally here, and as it out source, it mean foreigh currency. The other problem is the technology transfert. Rather than keep up the level of the thai programmers, it will at the end simply keep up the level of www.sanook.com. Last problem, my clients are my clients not because I am able to copy sanook.com with different colors (a kid of 10 can do it), but because some specials knowledge or skills. So even if some new thais coders try to get my market, they will have to show what they can do ....

Anyway, I am going to check the house renting in Vietiame and neighborought (I like Laos)

Roxannnnnnnnne

Roxy------

You would qualify for a non-imm-multi-Bissued elsewhere

There is even a chance that if you set your Biz up correctly that you could get a WP

Elsewhere? Where exactly? Why it's so complicate in fact?

So I also do NOT think Thai economy will collapse because I am going, I am a low profile individual even if member of the 'franco thai chambre de commerce', but for sure it will be something in less every month in thailand, because no one will take my place, my clients will not change for someone else (not many people able to do what I am doing).

So, even if I could make my situation okie that time, will I be able to make it okie the next time? Imagine stuck at polpet while I have clients waiting me to deliver my work? What about my computer? What about my clothes, my frige ... und so weiter.

Yes, it will be no collapse of economy, because thailand is thailand, and it will be still suckers to send money online to their mis noi, because thai accept suffering more than we do, because thai are still inside a 'patronising system'. But ....

I am not bitter, nor I am angry. It's Thailand, so obviously Thai know best what is the best for themself, obviously too I feel they do not think I am fitting this description.

One point for those who call people like me, the monthly visa runners, ILLEGAL ALIENs; the 30 days visa I get each month is legal, genuily delivered by an immigration office in Aranyaprathet, and I also precise in 5 years I was never asked for money. So I do stay legally (in accord to the law) in thailand, and even if I work, it's NOT considered by the law as working IN thailand, nothing is product locally, and the income are deposed abroad. The regulation change, so I do adapt myself by moving where I can create a LEGAL company with 500$ (maybe less). About also the legality of 'providing a boost of economy to thailand', I do stand against this idea, that the only country who implemented that regulation where a foreigner have to support local hookers, thei familly and local economy. I am here because there is economical opportunity, not to support thai people or the thai economy.

So I go, thailand will exist after my departure, maybe it will be better (if I can believe what some people say). Thailand will not miss me (even if the people who know me and just learned I will go are or crying or trying to find a solution to make me stay), but for sure I will not miss it too. It have cost me 20 years of saving to try to make a business here, and now I have only one choice : la valise ou le cercueil (the luggage or the coffin, algerian saying in 1960). I go because after this step, that I could avoid with some paper work I do agree, it will be another one, and another one. I do believe in freedom, not the freedom to do whatever you want because that is no freedom but anarchy, but the freedom to choose where you can stay and have a life.

Be honest, those of us who are not US, when we open a company here it's like trowing money throught the window, because we must have a thai patner who never (or rarely) come with anything, but who will/must have the bank access. Have you ever hear about ONE (yes just one) foreigner who invested in Thailand and then took back his investment and went somewhere else?

If they were one third of the way smart, they would simply let the falang fo to immig and pay a few hundred B to extend.

Instead of causing more traffic, more wasted fuel [so much for "energy policy"] and making the Burmese and Lao rich.

I guess we file this under "not smart enough."

On the contary, The Thais are being very smart. A poster mentioned about the advertising abroad, this is exactly the point. Thailand wants foreign people in thailand, or rather they want foreign investment....the average sex tourist who does a 30 day run isnt the sort of person that LOS wants.

On the other hand, a businessman who wants to legitimately set up a company that pays taxes and employs Thai personnel is welcome via a work permit.

I can see their point. Someone who has been in Thailand for 5 years on continious 30 day stamps does not bring money into the country and in all honesty is more than likely working illegaly....

The smaller issues is that of those people under 50 who have more than enough money to support themselves but are not ledgable for a retirement visa - This is where the Thai's should change the law.....but at the end of the day, its THEIR country.

One point, very personnal because it's my situation:

I live in Thailand since 01/2002, with a tourist visa (monthly run).

I do work, but not illegaly, I do out sourcing work by internet. The reason is simple, even if I created a company (I did in 2003 and still pay Taxes on it at LamLuka taxe office) I am not entitled to a WP because I do not hire 4 thais. I also precise I tried to hire thais people, but obviously they were not willing to work with the hight stress that out sourcing IT work give usually.

So, yes that steps by the authorities can be a good one (clean a little bit the country from the shitbags who stay only because the beer is cheap and the girls hot), on the oither hand, mostly those shitbags pay, I mean they have money from outside Thailand, obviously they are not able to work too tired by f**** the girls and to drunk by the beers they drink.

The problem, and it's not a immediate problem, is I am not the only one by now to do 'out sourcing', several peoples/small companies are doing so. Thailand was the right place, internet was okie, life cost was okie too and it was possible to compete on this sector with the indians (same price but european/us work process). The soler results will be to push us to another neiborought countries (Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia ....). As our investment in harware are small and mobile, move is easy and noting will be left in thailand (a firm that move somewhere else will let the buildings, eventually a plant/fabric and the skills knowledges the local workers have acquires ... alll in one it's easy to re run the business in those conditions .... for IT , it's totally opposite, skills and knowledge can be aquires, but the will to work 15, 18 or more hours , and I mean work not time spend to chat).

I do agree it will not at first be a huge amount of money (btw us I earn about 50/60 k a month) but it's money who was spend integrally here, and as it out source, it mean foreigh currency. The other problem is the technology transfert. Rather than keep up the level of the thai programmers, it will at the end simply keep up the level of www.sanook.com. Last problem, my clients are my clients not because I am able to copy sanook.com with different colors (a kid of 10 can do it), but because some specials knowledge or skills. So even if some new thais coders try to get my market, they will have to show what they can do ....

Anyway, I am going to check the house renting in Vietiame and neighborought (I like Laos)

Roxannnnnnnnne

3) Terrorism and extremism are normally a by-product of unemployment and a lack of education. Give people a job and a future and extremism will be reduced but never eradicated.

Sounds nice since it can't be proved, but, the facts are, that most of the leaders of these movements are from the middle class and are well educated.

Bin Ladin had all the comforts and advantages.

What's th dangerousity of Ben Laden? Nothing, or the same as the drunk guy who claim this or that in a bar.

The dangerousity appear when people start to think the drunk guy is telling hight what they think in their mind/heart.

So, if it was not poverty, no people feeling humiliate because their beliefs or their political choice ..... so terorism would not be the plague we know actually.

There is historical exemple : Canada in the XIX century, with english and french, catholic and non catholic .... Recently in France (mid 90') ... all those possible start for terrorism were changed as start for something that seems better (what is worst than terrorism in fact).

Let say if your beliefs are protected by the laws, if you can pray quietly in decent places, if your beliefs are considered as something private and sacred, how many of people sharing your beliefs will listen the drunk man?not much I guess.

Another root for terrorism is the fact people have to choose: I will always choose to stand by my familly first, then by my beliefs, then by my country and then by the humankind. If I have to choose btw my brother who maybe did wrong, and you that I do not know who is claimin my brother could have maybe wrongly behave, bet with who I will stand. So now, the same will apply with a fellow believer and a 'roumi', or with a fellow french man and a 'boche' ... Thousand, milllions of exemple throught the history.

One of the first things my TW asked me when we met face-to-face was, "will you take me shopping?". I almost dropped her right there but figured what's a few bucks. Well I gave her 8,000 baht and she went shopping while I drank coffee,etc. and watched the Thai stroll by. When she had finished shopping she handed me 5,000 baht. I looked at what she had bought and it was all 'basic' items of clothing and a few nicer things but all priced okay. Later when I visited her village I discovered she literally only had a few pieces of simple clothing. Also, I later found out she wanted to 'look nice' when we went out together; not unreasonable I think.

To this day the TW is frugal with my (our) money. She's wonderful in many other ways and yes she loves me and I her.

So what's my point? Simple. Many people would have viewed the "will you take me shopping" request as just another Thai girl after a farang and his money. This would become their perspective of Thai women. However, once the 'whole picture' comes to light it was just a request from someone asking someone else to provide some basics and a little happiness.

Well here also it's possible to 'bash' : 3 000 bht is kinda a big amount in some places in Thailand and/or for some thai citisens (not only women).

The lady who work as consruction worker would certainly agree to be my mia noi for that amount, I know some students who had a bf (the guy is 60+) because he give her 4 000 per month (and not bother her much than 2 or 3 night per month too). So Money even in your case is also the issue.

On the other hand, is that different in USA or in Europe? That is one question.

Another one is does the lady give you what you are waiting for in exchange of the money you will spend on her during the 40 or 50 years of your mariage? Important question it is not?

Another one is : would you dare to go to your step familly with your wife (their daughter) wearing dirty , ugly clothes, you know the kind of clothes the tramps usually wear?

Mostly thai ladies are money minded during a relationship, but often the reason is a good one : If the lady look rich, it mean she got a rich husband (bf). So fame and honor are more for you than for her. The only fame she got in fact is more 'private' : she was good in bed enought to avoid you to wase the money on some hookers in bar.

So, yes thai ladies are money minded (As mostly all women), but the reasons are more honorable than we can think at first. I also precise I am not spoken about those who have a living by playing with our wallets, but the ladies who enter genuinely in relationship.

There is also another point, I am personnaly middle agged (mid 40'), and I know here or in my own country I will not attract a young lady (let say 25 y old) just because I make her horny. If the lady decide to have a relatioship with me, it's because she suppose I can offer her soemthing a younf man of 25 y old can not offer her :stability

Also, I ABSOLUTELY don't believe you when you affirm hospitals will not accept you even in case of urgency/life threatening. I think you do not understand the implication of what you are saying, it can be understood as : doctors who do not respect the Hyppocrat text (Still important), hospital looking only for benefit and not the public health, even it can mean 'refuse to help someone in danger' offense to the law even in thailand.

I absuletely understand the implications what i am saying.

A few years ago a guy who was shot died in my arms from blood loss as he was refused treatment in the closest hospital. He could have been saved by a simple clamping of the artery that was shot through, and a drip.

About two years ago a female accident victim had a miscarriage in our car while we were trying to find a hospital, accepting her and her fellow victims. We found one after we actually begged them to accept the victims.

Last year a cop died. First because the govenmental "ambulance" arrived far too late, ordering us not to transport the victim. The bystanders not understanding that we were bond by their orders were not far away from lynching us.

In the Hospital (a government hospital) we frantically tried to reach his superior officers or reatives by phone and radio, as the hospital refused to do anything without their signitures. When they have arrived - it was already too late.

I got more experiences along those lines than is space here in this thread.

Basically, i could not care less about your frigging theoretical implications regarding the hypocratic oath, as i care far more about the implications of people dying needlessly in my arms.

We never state the hospitals in which this happens in public, as we run the risk of them never accepting any injured anymore we deliver.

And don't try to tell me anything about the tsunami please, i have been there in the first reponse team, one of only about 200 volonteers of these foundations for the whole Pang Nga Province getting rid of the corpses, while the Thai police was busy looting, and the Thai Army was busy catching Burmese survivors and pushing them over the border, regardless of injuries, legal status, or loss of their relatives.

And yes, if possible we use extreme prcaution when removing somebody who is injured, especially when we suspect spinal injury. But there are times when this simply is not possible, especially when a victim is wedged into his car, and has to be cut out.

The quality of training is improving constantly, as the member of the Ruamkatanyu has pointed out here very well.

You might be one of our next customers, you never know. And even if you are a complete prick - we still will do our best to save you.

Sorry to back so late to you, but (no irony here nor offense) I have a life and do not waste my time here that much.

I have to admit you are bold, your statement on the 'dead because no hospital admit him/her' is bold. So I apologise to have kick a bit about that topic, I knew what you are saying but often no one admit it (it was my stance about the tsunami, with people so nice , police acting so efficiently ... und so weiter). Whatever I regret you do not name those hospitals, I suppose people with common sense, or compassion would simply cancel their insurance with hospitals that are finally not hospitals at all, but simply money makers. I do not want to give advice, or state my country is best (if yes I would not decide to live in thailand), but at least if you have an health problem the hospitals cure you first, and then give you the bills ... it's true even if obviously you are a long term tramp.

Also, even if I stay on my words (body snatchers, ghouls ....), I am not pointing my finger on your organisation, nor on any other. Anyway they are better than nothing. I am simply pointing out on something that is missing, something that is necessary, something that is important as freedom. A government have also the duty to take care of the citisens who walk on the street or drive a car, or take the BTS/MRT.

My english is ,alas, not good enought to express some concepts. Let say I am advocating for another 30 bht scheme, obviusly there is not enought money for that. What I am saying is rather than build new shopping malls, it could be better for the safety of the public, the reputation of thailand and to improve the amount of familly tourist to improve the level of the emergency services. It's a politic thinking, but not at the usual level TRT vs Democrat, it's politic with a big P, it's politic thinking on how to improve the daily life of everyone.

So yes it's litterally piss me off (or make me laught depend of what I see) when there is a crash, and I witness some association trying to do what Fire soldiers do in France, and when those associations try to earn both money and respect for what they did/do/will do. I simply think they miss the main point, a human life (whoever own its life, mean rich or beggar) is priceless, and saving a life is most important thing you can do in your lifetime. Putting a price, a value, on that is simply comparable to a sin. Maybe that is simply a cultural difference, maybe it's only a value in western countries (value not even shared by all people there, such as jehovah witnesses for exemple do not share that value), maybe that is simply the reflex : what I will gain if I take risk to save him, whatI will gain if I carry her to the hospital?

So, even if I stand on my attacks/insults/rude words used, be sure it's not directed against PTT, but against all of those who think : Very well, they do good enought so keep up the good work and do not bother. Unsure if my broken english make sense, if not, please read it a second time and maybe it will be easier to understand.

These fondations hold the bodies for randsome and then the personal article are sold.

This is utter bullshit.

The foundations send the corpses to the morgue, if so demanded by the police officer in charge, otherwise the corpses are left with the relatives. The relatives can ask for free coffins at the headquarters of the foundation. Unclaimed corpses are given a free burial at the foundation's graveyards, and every couple of years a free collective funeral.

Relatives can later claim a corpse that is buried in their graveyards, but it is not the foundation who holds the corpse at ransom, but the hospitals refuse to have the corpse handed over in case of unpaid bills.

As to the posted story, it contains numerous mistakes and inaccuracies.

The yellow clothed personal with monthly salaries number around 200 people, the volonteers, the original base of the Por Teck Tueng more than 3000. The medical training has over the years improved a lot, they have to attand regular courses in EMS.

As to the thefts - they do occasionally happen, but every vocation has its bad apples. If this happens the Foundation is glad when this is brought to their attantion so that the case can be investigated and the guilty can be thrown out and a case with the police can be filed. Often though the thefts that Por Teck Tueng volonteers are accused of have not been committed by them. Bystanders are often first at the scene, and do steal the valuables. Thefts happen in hospitals as well. In suburban areas are fake rescue troops as well who try to get to the injured before the official rescue volonteers arrive.

Corpses are generally stripped off their valuables before being sent to the morgue, and the valuables are given to the police officer in charge, or the relatives, if present.

Fights over corpses do not happen anymore in Bangkok since about 15 years, when the authorities and the two main rival organisations have sorted out territories and shifts. Nowadays Por Teck Tueng and Ruamkatanyu work on alternating days.

Things aren't perfect, of course. There are at times territorial fights happening. But one has to understand that the volonteers of the foundation have to have a certain amount of respect on the streets. These volonteers do have to pull dead and injured from the roughest neighborhoods in town, if people there don't fear them, their work cannot be performed because of the danger of being attacked by the gangs.

And yes, it would be nice if the would be better equipped and trained, but people should not forget that the volonteers do finance everything themselves, use their own cars, buy their own petrol and medical eqippment. Nobody gives them anything.

Without these foundations there simply would be no functioning EMS system in Thailand.

The response time is of course not as fast as in the west, but this is not the west, this is a developing country, and for that the response time and the whole system is very good. I am not aware of any statistics on the response time, but my personal experience, being with the Por Teck Tueng for over six years, is that we are in inner Bangkok rarely slower than ten minutes from the point of getting the call.

THAT IS A FULLBAG OF BULLSHIT

THIS ORGANISATION IS SIMPLY COMPARABLE TO A GANG OF BODY SNATCHERS, OR GHOOLS (GHOULS?).

IT'S ANOTHER DISGRACE ON EARTH.

More quietly, I saw those people operate on the road to Polpet, 40 km outside Bangkok in 2003. Doing so in any civilisate country would have give us years of jails. The way they handle people injured, the way to first take their belongings and then handle the injured and dead ... A total shame.

You have a good point there. Never thought about that before.

Every time when there is a un- or semi-conscious victim, volonteers will go through the wallet to find an ID, or even a maybe hospital or insurance card. That helps to decide to which hospital to send the person. Also his/her pockets will be turned inside out, sometimes on the road, sometimes in the hospital, to collect the posessions and safeguard them, and handed to the hospital staff.

This is standard procedure.

Yes, that sound logical, just .... I am hit by a truck, in that case I will not care the hospital you will send me, as long as it's the closest one ... Choose the right hospital mean also choose the place where you will get the best tip, it is not???????????????????????????????????????????????????

As ColPyat seems to be involved in this organisatin/ghool gang, he have the right to feel offended by my comments, he also have the right to think wisely about what he is doing anytime he working for those people.

Nice.

Before making insulting comments you should maybe ask about why certain procedures are in place.

If you are hit by a truck you will care very much which hospital you are sent to. If you are just sent to a private hospital that may be closest, but you have no hospital ID, insurance card etc. - you wil be refused treatment in that facility. I have seen people who died because of this. Even government hospitals occasionally refuse admittance. On many occasions we had to drive around several hospitals before we could find one that admitted patients.

So, yes, it is necessary to search through someone's wallet if the victim is unconscious. If it would be, as you allege, to send him to a hospital that "gives the best tip" - then this would be hardly necessary, as the patient would be driven there without having to find out first about his ID.

So you conclude that the Por Teck Tueng is "ANOTHER DISGRACE ON EARTH" by having seen once how "they" operate on "the road to Polpet, 40 km outside Bangkok in 2003"?

WOW - you must be a clairvoyant, or at least a genius comparable to Einstein.

Do you even know if the Por Teck Tueng volonteers have been at this case, or not any other foundation? Do you have any competence whatsoever to be able to decide the quality of care given, or do you just shoot your mouth here? How can you judge a foundation with more than 3000 volonteers and many affiliated foundations all over the country by having observed one incident?

And speculating on my personal motives here, in the way you did, is a flame, and i will report your post to the moderators.

As stated it was not a flame, but pure and rude insults to that foundation and to any others. As you are a member, I do agree you have the right to feel offended. Please feel free to report to any moderator.

To precise more, I simply used the wording (with a bad translation as I am not an english native) used by the law in my country to define people acting like that (the word ghoul is not from the t\laws books but from 'Gang of New York', so on that word you can complain). Life is important, and anyone who have simple clue about rescue know an injured person should be not manipulate without extrem precaution (it's the concept of over accident), obviously people involved in those king of foundation are not aware of thisconcept (and it can lead to complete paralizis for exemple in case of spine problem).

Also, I ABSOLUTELY don't believe you when you affirm hospitals will not accept you even in case of urgency/life threatening. I think you do not understand the implication of what you are saying, it can be understood as : doctors who do not respect the Hyppocrat text (Still important), hospital looking only for benefit and not the public health, even it can mean 'refuse to help someone in danger' offense to the law even in thailand. So for that I am sorry, but it look like a mere bullshit, it's well know thai people in general and thai hospitals in this special cases try to do their best in any circontances (as proof I invite you to read what people said after the tsunamis on how local thai people helped the tourist).

On the other hand, if you really told us the truth, please feel free to state which hospitals act like that, please also state your infos, I will be more than glad to spread the word aboard, because if it's true, it's trully better to NOT visit a country where people are ready to let you die because you do not have an insurance in their hospital, or are ready to cause more injuries (broken spine) just to improve their quotas even if they have no skills in rescue. So please feel free to tell the truth on this point. Because there is a lot of tourist , or potential tourist in this forum, and I am sure they will love your answer on that point (whatever you answer can be).

For the record, I am not Einstein, I have an average IQ.

CROSS-CULTURAL MARRIAGES

Foreign husbands pay off for Thais

BANGKOK: -- Cross-cultural marriages between Thai women and foreign men are better received in Thai communities, a recent study has revealed, with northeastern villagers in particular praising their foreign sons-in-law for better supporting their new Thai family.

So the point is : foreign husband pay better?

Btw us gentlemen, did you choose your spouse because you supposed she would be a great mother, a good wife, or (sorry be crude) because she was the queen of the B.J.? Or did you choose her because you were wishing to improve the economic prosperity of the North East of Thailand?

Look like somewhere we are simply the cashcows, at least it's how I feel when reading this article.

These fondations hold the bodies for randsome and then the personal article are sold.

This is utter bullshit.

The foundations send the corpses to the morgue, if so demanded by the police officer in charge, otherwise the corpses are left with the relatives. The relatives can ask for free coffins at the headquarters of the foundation. Unclaimed corpses are given a free burial at the foundation's graveyards, and every couple of years a free collective funeral.

Relatives can later claim a corpse that is buried in their graveyards, but it is not the foundation who holds the corpse at ransom, but the hospitals refuse to have the corpse handed over in case of unpaid bills.

As to the posted story, it contains numerous mistakes and inaccuracies.

The yellow clothed personal with monthly salaries number around 200 people, the volonteers, the original base of the Por Teck Tueng more than 3000. The medical training has over the years improved a lot, they have to attand regular courses in EMS.

As to the thefts - they do occasionally happen, but every vocation has its bad apples. If this happens the Foundation is glad when this is brought to their attantion so that the case can be investigated and the guilty can be thrown out and a case with the police can be filed. Often though the thefts that Por Teck Tueng volonteers are accused of have not been committed by them. Bystanders are often first at the scene, and do steal the valuables. Thefts happen in hospitals as well. In suburban areas are fake rescue troops as well who try to get to the injured before the official rescue volonteers arrive.

Corpses are generally stripped off their valuables before being sent to the morgue, and the valuables are given to the police officer in charge, or the relatives, if present.

Fights over corpses do not happen anymore in Bangkok since about 15 years, when the authorities and the two main rival organisations have sorted out territories and shifts. Nowadays Por Teck Tueng and Ruamkatanyu work on alternating days.

Things aren't perfect, of course. There are at times territorial fights happening. But one has to understand that the volonteers of the foundation have to have a certain amount of respect on the streets. These volonteers do have to pull dead and injured from the roughest neighborhoods in town, if people there don't fear them, their work cannot be performed because of the danger of being attacked by the gangs.

And yes, it would be nice if the would be better equipped and trained, but people should not forget that the volonteers do finance everything themselves, use their own cars, buy their own petrol and medical eqippment. Nobody gives them anything.

Without these foundations there simply would be no functioning EMS system in Thailand.

The response time is of course not as fast as in the west, but this is not the west, this is a developing country, and for that the response time and the whole system is very good. I am not aware of any statistics on the response time, but my personal experience, being with the Por Teck Tueng for over six years, is that we are in inner Bangkok rarely slower than ten minutes from the point of getting the call.

THAT IS A FULLBAG OF BULLSHIT

THIS ORGANISATION IS SIMPLY COMPARABLE TO A GANG OF BODY SNATCHERS, OR GHOOLS (GHOULS?).

IT'S ANOTHER DISGRACE ON EARTH.

More quietly, I saw those people operate on the road to Polpet, 40 km outside Bangkok in 2003. Doing so in any civilisate country would have give us years of jails. The way they handle people injured, the way to first take their belongings and then handle the injured and dead ... A total shame.

You have a good point there. Never thought about that before.

Every time when there is a un- or semi-conscious victim, volonteers will go through the wallet to find an ID, or even a maybe hospital or insurance card. That helps to decide to which hospital to send the person. Also his/her pockets will be turned inside out, sometimes on the road, sometimes in the hospital, to collect the posessions and safeguard them, and handed to the hospital staff.

This is standard procedure.

Yes, that sound logical, just .... I am hit by a truck, in that case I will not care the hospital you will send me, as long as it's the closest one ... Choose the right hospital mean also choose the place where you will get the best tip, it is not???????????????????????????????????????????????????

As ColPyat seems to be involved in this organisatin/ghool gang, he have the right to feel offended by my comments, he also have the right to think wisely about what he is doing anytime he working for those people.

Pattaya is a strange place. Police seem to be able and willing to trample on individual rights. First girls got stopped from walking oer the boulevard, than Katoeys were rounded up from the beach. the Man in Brown always afraid to make their shiny shoes dirty simply used guns to force them out of the water. Although the Katoeys are indeed a headache so are other people foreigners and Thai entertainers alike. My problem with the actions of this policeforce is that they are random, without merit and indiscriminate. they simply target a group of people. Today katoeys, tomorrow young girls, the day after old people and later who knows. I read the sweet names some readers give these people. They are still human beings! And they probably harassing all the men that are there anyhow for the wrong reasons. Keep that in mind by calling them pets or worse!

I do agree.

It's look like a preacher who go to nana entertainament plaza and start to scream it's the temple of the vice.

Living in Bkk, and disliking pest, prostituates, bar girls , hookers, and people like that, I do not bother myself to go in hooker bars, nor I will walk around lumpini after 10 pm.

For Canonical laws, even if prostitution is a sin/vice, there is no way to stop it. Because anyway the 'perverts' who love to walk there and look will find something else. Or if you prefer, there is pest because there is clients for those pest. So why not also arrest and fine the so called sex pats who walk there at night?????????????

Dear Philip,

There were two B747 flights carried out from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi yesterday and several other flights were performed from Phuket, Chiang Mai and other cities to Suvarnabhumi.

I flew in a second flight TG4554 from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi. Thai Airways and AOT gave all the passengers certificates as being one of the first passengers to fly to Suvarnabhumi

For the time being these issues concern me most:

- The airport is too huge and passengers will be definitely lost without proper amount of quality SIGNs stating where to go etc etc.

- The security and safety: There are areas where objects can be exchanged between arrival and departure floors

- IT issues.

- baggage handling

- A lot of structures are not finished inside the airport.

- International Civil Aviation Organization has yet to give a permanent certificate to a new airport.

- Usually airports move to a new location in low season to have less problems with passengers. End of September is definitely not a LOW season in Thailand aviation industry.

- etc etc.

My dear,

your comments show you trully did not understood quite well LOS and did not get a clue on how things work here :

Airport is not too huge at all, farang will come by hundred of thousands daily to visit the temple ........... oooooooooooops to buy cheap CD in Pantip ................... ooops to buy OTOP products ......... oooooooooooops ................ anyway they will come to give away money as they have to do.

Security and safety is and will continue to be improved by the taxy boy, tuk tuk drivers and wondeful motorcycle boys (with regards with the improved security in DM while APEC summit in 2003). Be assured taxyboys and others will inspect carefully any luggages and will block those who can endanger the kingdom security/prosperity

IT issues ... as the customer service of true does not stop to tell me, if you are unhappy with the IT service, just give up on it. Why bother with that, anyway that is only farang who are complaining because IT issues

Bagage handling : the deputy director of something (there is always a deputy director anyway) presented a study that show bagage are a pain in the ass for most of the tourist. So if their baggage are safely stocked in theairport , they will be glad to retrieve them when living , and during their visit the tourist will be have their hand free to buy some new luggage : hermes at 150 bht or LV at 200 bht for exemple

Also it seems you were totally confuse (vision problem maybe, did you use genuine eyes glasses?) and mistaken some thai style construction with unfinished structure.Or maybe that is the some of the modern scuptulres already exposed who let you suppose ....

Look like you are simply a farang, trying to apply Descartes logic to a place where the only logic is to have fun

So the new airport can handle 45 mil passengers a year. Anyone know the capacity of Don Mueng?

Me & a buddy drove out there this afternoon. Access roads were closed.

yes DM = 47 mil passengers a year.

But it was hard to earn moretea money in DM, so for economical purpose the new airport is trully better.

Also, as one editorialist in Bangkok post noted, as the airport will be far of civilisation, the tourist will have a one stop : no need to bother to go in tuk tuk to bangkok , they will shop OTOP on site, and by so fulfill the true dreams of any respectable citisens of LOS : come , BUY and BYE

2 news clippings I read today, this one and the beer war, and I am starting to think reality must have different meaning for I and other members of this forum.

In france, when the ministers decided it would be better to use bycicle rather than cars it became very secure to drive a bicycle the wenesday morning in Paris .... What about the other days?

So the Prime landed safely in the new airport, I never had doubt it would happend, and if it was not the fact it would have be fair to send the guuilty to some remote place (salt mine in siberia for exemple). That is the Prime, is not it?

But what about the reality the normal people, normal travellers (those who are not Prime, Senator wifes, football stars ....), how the airport will handle them, what will be the accomodation for them? There is some interresting reports made about that topic, it's trully sad TV became more and more like a speaker who loudly repeat the local b**** made for the local people.

Repeat, cut and past, articles from Bangkok Post and the Nation is easy job to do, but I can also spend 25 bht and read quietly those newspapers. I would love to know what it's said about that topic ABROAD. Any news papers of some importance from a civilisate country who commented on that event?

First what mean exactly IT worker :

Are you looking for a photoshop/illustrator guy?

A flash designer?

A java enginer?

A PErl/php/javascript/python .... wizard?

A SQL expert (including Oracle)?

A network security professional?

.........

Are you looking to run some web developemnt business, or going to outsource some big projects for major companies?

The needs are not the same, and in some case you will hardly find suitable people here (or you will have to pay a price comparable to a western specialist).

Easy to find here is Java enginer, in more you have a big bunch of so called graphist expert/web guru (I will restrain myself to quote those people).

On the other hand, I hardly found in 5 years any real professional scripters (Perl/php/javascript/python), nor SQL litterate. Those I met where or expats relocated in Bkk by their company , or thais with an impressive experience in international corparate (so not really local people nor earning local wages).

Uncreative but copy can also apply to indian coders (more than to thai coders), the difference btw both is simple : Indians coders mostly have huge portfolios of already stolen programs and by so are able to adapt them immediatly to your needs.

Beware , what I am saying is a generalisation, by so if true with big number, it's WRONG for many individual case.

Interresting post , indeed, Just why so many newcomers are discussing about english languages? Look like OT to me, isn't it?

Same about french, people who want to look cultivate by using it should learn the minimal grammar or it will look like they are confusing 'culture' and ' cultivateur'.

Anyway it's an old news, anyone knowing LOS could bet 2 weeks ago Police will arrest some farangs in a nearby future.

My feelings is the britton is a real crook, so good job, but if we think a bit more we will have to admit there is a lot of farangs crooks here (and other kind of scumbags too), simply because in our western countries life is a bit harsh for them, but here with some tea money they can be prosperous (for a time).

Bottom line, I am happy the Police did its job, I feel sorry for those who bought and who will be expropriate (unsure it make sense in english), and I hope it will be a lesson for many of us (expats in LOS) : never, really never forget to pay the rightfull tea money to the right person, or you will as this britt visit soon the kingdom jails

Roxaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaane

Btw us, who is the fooliest? The man who claim that, the man who post it here as it was something real, or the man (as I) who read it?

I don't make them up buddy... it's an official news bulletin issued today by the TNNBPRD.

No insult was intended, nor I intented to be irrespectful.

I was just given my opinion,that is the market in western europe (the so called Europe of 12) is certainly not fitting the excellence of thai products. Mostly, and it's a sad reality, western housewifes prefer the white clothes or white bed sheet to be white after a trip in the washmachine (ditto the ref to 'Mere Denis', a popular figure of the french advertising). The last time I witnessed a 'semi automatic' washmine was in 1978, in a very up country place in France (Namely a village of 150 inhabitants), since I did not.

So appart a european or american builder who decide to build the washmachine here because the cheap labor force (but there is cheaper all around), I do not see (as I am sure you also do not see) any reality in that.

But I will not kill the messager who carry a bad news, nor I intended to be disrespecfull to you. So sorry if my sentence was wrongly build. I should have say : I do not understand why you post it here, obviously this bulletin is only intended for thai people, just to remenber them they are still the best and the world is dying to get some part of what do. But this bulletin was not for us foreigners.

dont learn thai -then you cant understand what they are saying about you

Actually, if anything, understanding what Thai people say about you when they do not think you understand, makes you humble. Mostly nothing nasty at all, except when warranted. So if you are acting like a decent person, fear not the comments.

I do agree, I wandered the first 2 years in thailand with wealthy and well educated thai people. Going only in decent places, and it was more than nice. People were more than nice.

Problem started to going on when after 2 years I was still here. I get the feelings I was invited to move back home to let the place to a new one, with bigger wealth that I have (sorry I am in the category work 7days/weeks 16 hours a day, not a even a middle class entrpreneur).

One simple and very sade point abot that feeling :

I went in Thailand because I loved someone here. This person was a singing teacher, also a TV producer. Smart, wealthy well educated, from an kinda important familly (one uncle was till recently the second in command of the immigration Police). As this person was also a ladyboy, I prefered come here and suffer the life of an imigrate rather than have her come in France and stay there as a travestite without any carrer opportunity.

Life is life, and our relationship lasted only 18 month. I did mistakes who led to our separation. But even after that we stayed in touch, because feelings were real and deep.

3 weeks ago I learned this person had pass away. And amongst all the people close to her I knew, and who often called me their friends, all and the familly decided to no tell me she wasdead, on the ground I was oonly a farang. Happilly one thought I have to know the sad news, because I was honest in my feelings for her. So, imagine how they were shocked when I went to temple for her funerals ....

I precise, even if I am not wealthy, I work for my living, I do not to hook up in Nana or patpong, my appartment is not a short time hotel, and I am from a respectable familly, existing since 1200 years. SO there is no reason to put ostracism on me ... maybe just because anyway I was just a farang, maybe bccause I have nothing to do here, because I would offend their sense if I go to temple ... because anyway it's thailand, it's thai people, and never I (you) will be accepted as equal by the population (some individual do, but the group never do it).