sting01

alexth, there are over a dozen countries that allow gays in the military, some of them now for decades, and it works well for them. As for transsexuals such as a Thai man dressing as a lady on the field of combat, distracting the enemy.....arai nah ? Doesn't Thailand have women in the army, who were born as females and dress as females? Part of this Western military bias against gays or transsexuals in the military relates to myths that are false. Unless, of course, the other myths are true, that macho male military men are all rapists......

Maybe, is that why you guys are joining the military

Well, I invite Alexth who seems to be a military buff to contactthe french foreign legion, and ask them is sexuality is a criterion to be accepted there or not (mean does a gay can be a soldier in the french foreign legion?)

I do hope you will admit the French Foreign Legion is an Elit Unit (but the 6th REG, but there it's a punishment unit or so). And I can tell you , as long as you do not rape other soldiers, no one will give a ###### if you love to use a dildo before to sleep, or if your 'gf' is named Charly.

Better (maybe worst) the 2 nd REP, the most prestigious unit of the French Foreign Legion is composed for a quarter (25%) of people claiming to be gay.

Obviously the fact to be gay do not destroy the capacity to serve with honor and quality a country.

And I repeat, shall I be compare to Caesar, Alexander the Great, Constantin the Great, that I would feel honored, even if those men where obviously gay.

Sting01, thanks for your apology. Languages are funny things, with false cognates. You asked what kind of men I like, or if I like katoey. I like real men who look and behave as borderline androgynous, a mixture of traditionally female and male traits. But I'm not at all attracted to crossdressers, or to anybody who looks like a woman.

Yeah, I'm a gay breeder. I've been there, done that, and bought a t-shirt in Pattaya that I gave to my Asian boyfriend: "I'm not gay, but my boyfriend is."

My ex gf have the same, it was making sense as she was a ladyboy (RIP recently).

Anyway what I dislike is people who define themself (and define others) on things that are biased , such as the sexual preference. I will not care if a guy is str8 or gay, as long as he will not bother me with his supposed exploit in the bed room ... mostly there is nothing in those people (hollow people?) but just bragging on how big their genitals are.

I do know here in thailand a bunch of ladyboys who arenot sex workers, hi so by their birth, and/or by the social position they have. Well educated (professors in Chula or Tamassat), CEO or member of the board of directors, senior producer in Media of Media, Senior Software engineer for Sun ... all are with good brains, without mental disease, mostly earn 10 or 15 times what I earn. So they are out of the definitions given here. I do repeat I am honored to know Khun Samart, I do believe she can be as those I cited.

Wellrather than define a person because the way the person look, you should simply define a person on how this person behave. And how can I be hurt if the fact to wear some clothes make another one happy? how can I be hurt because some middle aged californian man decided to have some surgery to make him look younger and get the wife he deserve? So how can I be hurt if someone decide to have an operation (SRS) and get the life partner she deserve?

I do miss my first language as I also do with the legal one used in my own country (I learned german first, but french is my own country language).

What I dislike the most (or what hurt me the most) is to be in the middle of people who seems considering some forms of slang english as the world language. I sometimes go to paly chess in the Bkk club. The fun is to be able to have conversation with the britts (God knows Britts and frogs usually do not mix much), but it almost impossible to to have the same with US, aussies, or sout african. I do not speak about the philipinos who are also teachers, givem my opinion about their english skills would be assimilate to racism.

So yes I miss french, I miss also german and italian. I do miss also what is related to those languages, the body language (comedia del' Arte). On the other hand, I choose to come here, so I have to accept it, and there is still a Dunan street in Bkk

He said the new government – installed after a military coup ousted Mr Thaksin in September – aimed to restore investor confidence by making the rules more explicit, though he offered no further details

Errr? I don't have an MBA, but I don't think a coup inspires investor confidence.

I think you wrong, the military coup in Latin amricas (Stroessner, Videla, Pinocher .... all the good guys backed by CIA) were followed by huge investements from 'friendly' '''''''foreign''''' companies (read US companies).

So yes a coup can inspires investor confidence , in some cases.

Just curious if anyone here has ever considered the idea that Katoeys might have hormonal imbalances or that they are XXY chromosome or may be hermaphroditic but with only one set of sex organs apparent?

There could very easily be medical reasons behind a man feeling like he should be a woman and to toss it all off as "mentally imbalanced" is a very trite way to look at things and speaks to me of minds so set in their ways and views of what is right as to reject all other possibilities.

And just so you know, homosexuality and transgender are not the same thing.

about hormonal imbalance, well there is no real such thing than a man whithout any femal hormones, or a female without any mal hormones.

Yes transgender is not homosexuality, but no one seems care here, but we have the usual set of abuses from gays to str8 and from str8 to gays.

Real transgender (not the men in dress who are happy to f*** the foreigner in the ST hotel of Nana) mostly have a genital problem (under sized organs), do not have also the same musculature as a boy (before puberte), and during puberte will have naturally a start of growing brest (not visible, but some tissues will appear, or glandes (not sure about the right word in english)).

One question to PEaceBlondie, as you claim you are gay, can you tell us if you have physical desire for a Kathoey? One with full functional? Can be interresting to know to clarify the discussion.

In the same idea :

Pederaste regiments (sic) were elite unique in Sparta. I do not remenber if it was one regiment (unit) or several.

Pederaste regiments (several for sure) were also recored during the Punics wars in the regular cathaginian (spelling) army.

I use the word pederaste (old wording for gay) because it's the closest to the wording used to describe/name those elite units and people in those units.

RED FLAG: The word 'pederast' or its Brit spelling 'paederast' refers to a man who has sex with boys. Don't use the term to refer to adults having consensual (or forced) sex with men. Don't.

Thank you.

Okie, sincere apologise

http://www.wordreference.com/fren/pederaste

pédéraste vieilli nm & adj homosexual

in french

and in english

pederast, paederast, child molester

a man who has sex (usually sodomy) with a boy as the passive partner

Sorry, as this word is with greek roots, I supposed the meaning to be thevery same in french and english as usually they are. Obviously I was wrong, abviously too I never had to translate old greek or latin in english , but in french.

So I stand corrected , but the main sense was to point out military service and sexuality are not linked ( I cold have also speak about Caesar, Alexander, Constantin the Great (who is a Saint for the eastern Church and the last Emperor who became a God for the pagans .....). My diatribe was in favor or gay people, not against them, by trying to show sexuality is one thing, behavior (in military field or any other field) is somethign else.

Maybe should have say : never speak sexuality with a member or an ex member of the french foreign legion or you will be very surprise. And do not think there is one person who can have doubt on military skills or valor of the french foreign legion.

So sorry again Blondie, but even if you are right, my mistake was trully an honest mistake (due my very poor skills in english).

Remember, please, people, that TEACHING covers two entirely different kettles of fish here.

we have SUBJECT TEACHERS. For that group, I agree with the most stringent and restrictive of the posters here- bachelor's degree or higher, vetting, the works. What about refusals on positions for HOLDING a verifiable Phd. MBA BA BBA [from Excellent USA schools like Stanford] because you're [i.e. me] too over qualified=====more better educated [?] than almost there entire teachers/professors etc. WHAT DO YOU ADVISE?

However, the TEFL market simply can't get people with these qualifications for the money they offer- and it is very dubious whether people teaching such a skill really need that much higher education- and it is a very important and needed group of instructors (more than teachers) in Thailand. It's the only way country schools can get contact with native speakers. TEFLs are really enough in many cases.

"Steven"

Those travellers or permanent tourists who just come to teach for a month or two to get the money to continue their holiday. But if TEFLs sign one year contracts, ... sounds fair to me.

I think I agree.

By experience, I can strongly affirm the following :

A big amount of the born thai teachers do not have clue of english. I give a verifiable exemple : I affirm half of the thai staffs of the english department in Chayaphum boys school is not able to have a very basic conversation in english, due the lack in the following : grammar, vocabulary and accent (I do not say tone, but really accent, such vowels not pronouced, consums skipped or exchanged for another).

The needs for that school were clearly precised by the head of the english department ( a thai lady who is trully FLUENT in english and in more a great KRU) : we need white people who can make the kids talkative and who can correct the basis of the english.

You can call those people teachers, we use to call them repetitors in france. They do not teach (thai teachers are there for that, they just have to open the book and make the kid repeat). The so called english teachers are simply here to make the kids speak, and help the kids with the usual problem of prononciation : exemple 1.55 pm can be tell (shoud be?) it's 5 to 2 pm. More funny is 1.58 pm (2 to 2 pm). HEre all is in the tone and the accent, it is not?

I'll can be I shall or I will .... anyway who cares as long as I'll is acceptable (and accepted), a native or person fluent in english will use I'll, only pedantic or non native will get an hadhache to find if they have to use shall or will. By so, by not wastin time and by not bothering kids with I shall or I will, the so called english teacher will make english easy for the kid (I'll) and maybe will be able to avoid the kids to tell the time as : it's 15 past 4 o'clock (as they are still tought in Chayaphum boys school).

Anyway, to avoid misunderstanding I am not anymore in the teaching business (thought I did taught in the past, in such places as Chula Faculty or art , but it was french), but more some opinion on what is needed , and what is not needed. One thing we do have in france is native english (mostly students who will later be teachers, or fresh graduates who have never taught) who come and speak. They are not teachers, but God they are helpfull, because english is a stressed language , but mostly other human languages are not, so fact to be in contact with a native speaker help a lot, even if the native speaker is not a real teacher with 10 years of experience in Oxford.

So maybe that is more the whole system that must be re think. Stop to call the english teachers teachers, and stop to ask for credentials that are not needed, maybe call those people simply repetitors, maybe more than credentials simply use test (oral test), and ease (more than tighten) the way they can be hired. Then the real teachers will be called teachers, have the salary they deserve, the repetitors being (like in france) people who simply help, or gain an experience, having easily (but without hope to renew it) a valid visa (let say they can have a one year , 2 semesters, visa but only one time in the life time). It's not important if the person who 'teach' a classroom : Hey, I'm Bob , I come from Nebraska, what's you name? is a bacchelor or not, what's important is the kids understand and answer, and eventually a dialog start btw the classroom and the person in front of the classroom.

An absolutely impossible task. People from some native-speaking English countries cannot get their own transcripts. How do you certify your documents if your embassy doesn't do it for any price? I have my transcripts, and they look absurd.

There is a branch of an excellent international teacher placement service in Chiang Mai, Search Associates. www.search-associates.net

They facilitate placement of properly qualified teachers in the better schools in Thailand as well as elsewhere in Asia or Europe or the MiddleEast.

The process may be slow and, at times, frustrating, but it is hardly impossible. Some of the people who have come to Thailand to teach are simply looking for a way to pick up pocket money while on an extended holiday. Many are poorly qualified at best and in some cases they are seeking situations which will put them in contact with children for reasons other than a desire to educate.

There is no guarantee that a rigorous screening process will ensure good teachers and screen out the misfits, but if children are saved from being exposed to whackos like that guy who was deported back to the US or some of the lazy functional illiterates who have been able to get teaching jobs in the past, then it is well worth the trouble.

Did the whacko deported in US was drinking champagne in the plane? What offense was comitted by him before to be deported? Did the whackos was a bad teacher? Did the whacko was a scrapgoat? (spelling???).

A bit of historical perspective; the ancient Roman Army (who were fairly successful in conquering a sizeable Empire; and in military matters, generally) actively encouraged homosexuality in the ranks to "bind" their soldiers together, and so look out for their comrades better.

The loutish "laddish" behaviour of a lot of squaddies and other soldiers I have seen suggests a lot of latent homosexuality.

I bet a ladyboy in any particular squadron would be very "popular". Especially after "lights out".

In the same idea :

Pederaste regiments (sic) were elite unique in Sparta. I do not remenber if it was one regiment (unit) or several.

Pederaste regiments (several for sure) were also recored during the Punics wars in the regular cathaginian (spelling) army.

I use the word pederaste (old wording for gay) because it's the closest to the wording used to describe/name those elite units and people in those units.

BUT

and that is all the problem, a transexual male to female do not consider himsel/herself as a male looking to have same sex partner. Nor gay guys are attracted by 'genuine' ladyboys ... Same sex relationship is one thing, but gender disorder is totally different.

Bad boy maybe, in fact if we can believe what George report, he seems to be definitively one.

But, what about the legal action in Thailand ???????

Sanan survived the no-confidence motion but all the media attention proved bad news for Ullrich, whose businesses in Pattaya then included pollution clean-up plants, condominiums and the Bavarian Restaurant.

Ullrich was finally charged in 1998 with illegally importing a yacht and served a one year jail sentence in Thailand before being deported to Germany where he faced charges of embezzling 5.4 million marks from German nationals for his fictitious animal rescue charity in Pattaya.

I tend to read it by this way : the guy became too much important and too much know, so any excuse was used to jail him and take away his asset here. Then send back to be hanged in Germany to be sure he will not come back and claim his own ....

So the german is a bad boy, but it does not made those who took away what was once Ulrich assets actin as angel.

No tears for the guy, but certaily no hurrah for those who scammed him (and still scamm him)

Well, somewhere I thnk this discussion is useless.

Trying to ask some posters that a human being is first a human a human being, that a person have to be defined by the behavior and not the appearence look like tryin to convert to the only true faith (the roman papacy one) a bunch of pascalist missionries ... As Ethan told us 3 times, Mission Imposible (MI 1, MI 2 and MI 3).

Fact, and for what it'sworth, I know Wan (Khun Samart), and if you knew her/him you would not define this person as a transexual or transgender, but more define her/him by the behavior showed.

It need a bold person to be thai kathoey, and going against the power in place. It need also a strong thinking to be able to do it without make the whole court laught.

The problem when we define a group of person, there is systematically people who do not fit.

Transexual to fight 'mental disorder' statement

A transexual man is preparing to file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court against the army's statement in a conscription certificate (Sor Dor 43) which exempted him from service for having a ''mental disorder''. Samart Meecharoen, a 22-year-old student of Ban Somdej Chao Phraya Rajabhat University, said the document, issued two years ago, deprived him of career opportunities as a private firm turned down his application for a part-time job, citing it as the reason. His petition to the court, supported by the National Human Rights Commission, the Lawyers Council of Thailand, the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand and the Saphan Group representing same-sex lovers, will be submitted to the court on Nov 10. If the court accepts the case for consideration, it will be the first of its kind in the country.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/02Nov2006_news16.php

-------------------------------------------------------------

Good luck, Khun Samart

Khun Samart (Wan) already won a court judgement against the military (one year ago), since that the military law of conscription was modified.

Wan, that I am honored to call a friend, is one of the most equilibrate person I have met since I am Thailand. Being also a succesful student in university. Do not be mistaken, we are not talking about someone in the sex industry ... And the story about job opportunity is a true one. The problem about gender disorder is here in Thailand it's way easier for a guy to wear a dress and pretend to be a lady reincarnate than to work to clean the taxy cars in a gaz station (at least it pay more). But there is also the fact the disphoria (medical name of the gender disorder) is a disease existing since the huminity exist and everywhere. Mostly people who have it are more sexless than you can imagine (mostly sex repulse them), are trully feeling bad being what they are, and simply need to be considered as normal human.

It's a very sensible subject, in more in that particulry case I know the person as friend (not sex friend), but does sensibility is a value here ????????? I doubt

Great post, Heng. But does your example apply more to old-line Chinese-Thai families than it does to relatively new Thai business families who don't have your tradition?

Of course. And by the way, we're nowhere near old line. Our own family example mentioned above isn't even a Silom/Sukhumvit or Sampeng/Yaowarat family. We're quite "nouveau riche" comparatively as we didn't even get into the Ban Moh area until the 1950's (and "just arrived" in Thailand in the 1930's).

You'll find plenty of Thai Sikhs, Thai Indians, and Thai-Thais to a lesser extent that fit the bill as well.

Forgetting the example of a 40 million baht shophouse (!!), are there a whole lot of Thai small businesses that don't use their properties wisely, get into consumer debt disguised as business debt, employ lazy family members, etc.?

Sure. Just like anywhere else in the world. But "not using one's assets wisely" is a relative concept. Plenty of tier one MBA's would say that we aren't using our capital wisely.

If you'll allow me to add to the 40 million Baht shophouse theme... naturally not everyone with a shophouse in the center of town will be running dozens of other enterprises as well. There are probably folks that really own just one or two shophouses and little else in the world (although they are more likely to be found as you expand outwards from the 30-40 million Baht per shophouse area.... Ladprao, Ramkhamhaeng and so forth, in the 5-9 million range per shophouse). Why don't they sell? Everyone has their own reasons. For one, they have likely already been debt free for decades with any income easily flowing into savings and producing interest revenue, so cash flow isn't a priority. They may like the convenience of living somewhere relatively central. What are they going to do with the funds? Move somewhere tropical? Retire to Thailand?

Again one's results may vary and I'm just talking about my own family and those I know in my own circle. I'd say the trend leans more towards diversification than really just sitting around selling noodles.

On the long run that is the wisest strategy I think. It remenber me how old familly process in old europe. At least it's a proof good idea can appear everywhere .

With regards to your friend Sanook1 #post 20 she is in some serious trouble if that is her response to the new laws. Two points on this:

1/ For everyday that she overstays she is liable for 500Baht per day with no cap. There used to be a cap of 20,000Baht but bot any more. This is why there are so many foreigners inside Thailand who can no longer leave even if they wanted to

and

2/ If she is running an internet cafe then she is paying money under the table because this is a licence required acticvity which belongs to the Realm of the Thais.

This is precisely the type of person the true Government want gone. They are taking the jobs of Thais (this is illegal) and staying in a country (not her own) illegally.

The saddest thing I have ever seen is a white farang man sitting on the steps of a vry large building in Bangkok with his obviously expensive and professional camera set up next to him with a for sale sign on it. When things get so bad and you stuff up so badly that you have to sell the very thing that earn you money to live on I just hope that if it sells the money will be used to go home. I know a few farangs inside Thailand who are now beyond the point of no return and they do not like it but they have no choice but to remain in the underworld and there they will probably die. I think its great that Thailand is finally cramping down and at least trying to do something about the freeloaders. Unfortunately others (who are trying to do the right thing) get caught up in it as well and lose everything, myself included. I at least managed to get out.

Go for it Thailand. You want tourist dollars but not free loaders and criminals.

Another one.

You are thai, and you simply want the farang to go. Racism? Nationalism? Facism maybe?

On the very same time, you are certaily complaining about the visa regulation in EU or USA. do you?

For about 30 % of the thai people, the words WORK, WORKING and WORKER are considered as insult. Have to work is related to poor people, or to low class people. Complaining about a farang who take work from a thai? That is impossible, or of you really think so, read my comment above about how those words/concepts are understood by a part of the thai population.

Even if she owne a cyber, she will provide work for the thai staffs (what farang will accept to work for 5k bht? lol, only thai staffs will do it, anyway staff in a cyber mostly play games, chat online, or watchthe tv (if not eating some insects)). Deregatory? No sir, take a look at the cybers in Suk, or those in Pracha Songkro/Inthamara. In more if she is overstaying, she would have certainly secure her back (providing some tea money to the right people, by so improve the shopping power of those persons or their wife/mia noi/gigs and eventually iimprove the thai economy).

On the other hand, I repeat overstaying is NOT a valid option, too much risky.

I think that is a very unfair comment regarding Thailand. Remember that most of us are visitors here, and we always have the option of returning to our own country if we don't like what's on offer here.

Youngkiwi must be either a ) very young, b ) very new in thailand or c ) both of those. It's almost "cute" or "sweet".

Young kiwi is the symbol(hero?) of that new trend of poster in TV ... He is simply or thai and coming here to invite us to leave the country, or a brain washed foreigner relaxed from the IDC in the only purpose to 'convert' the other farangs

There is since some time a bunch of people who are obviously not the usual poster (expats living in Thailand, or foreigners looking to come here), but well educated thai people who comes to evengelise (spelling??????) us on how sabai sabai things are, and on if yo udo not like it then go out, if you like itm they spend money and go out too.

It's not personal attack/flamming against Youngkiwi (and if I am wrong I apologize) but a true fact, browse a lottle bit any 'sharp' conversations, all end by you are a guest.

If I am a guest, I would love to not pay my rent, my electricity, my water bill, my taxes, the tea money to the local police station .... As guest, I have to have things for free (definition of the word guest). But as migrant I do have to pay those bills (And more), but on the same time I do have some right, like at least express a non politic opinion in a free forum (with repect for the rules of the forum).

I hate, positively hate, the word GUEST .... why not call us HAPPY CAMPER????????????????

Even upcountry Thailand does not have a bad standard of health care. I had occasion to go to a hospital in Khon Kaen (forget the name) and service/treatement was excellent.

No, its not perfect but nowhere is and its way ahead of what you would find in Burkina Faso.

Where in Burkina Faso?

Dare to precise your point?

me speak broken english

me mean :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=47404

As an addition to the opening post and other on-topic posts, here's my contribution:

Yes, the most prominent reason for the changes to visa rules is to get rid of criminals. Not only those that use the visa exemption to avoid registration, but also the ones with long term visas granted on basis of funds gained by drug dealing, illegal financial transactions, etc.

Of course, more tax-money is also important, but it isn't the most important issue. Think of it: The immigration department is part of the police force - they're not part of neither the revenue department nor the labour department. Do the immigration bosses get extra credits and bonuses depending on how much tax comes out of their rule makings and granting of visas? ... On the other hand - since they are the police: What a huge loss of face to grant one-year visa extensions to foreign criminals.

My guess is, Thailand (at least the immigration police) would rather prefer to loose the whole lot of tourist money and foreigner's tax-payments than to be known as a major refugee and butter-hole for international criminals.

Especially, the changes to the rules governing the one-year extensions of non-O visas based on relationship to Thai nationals, clearly indicate both parts above:

As for tax-income being a minor issue: The new rules make it possible for both a child (younger than 20), a spouse, and a parent (older than 50) to get one-year extensions without any funds and without any income at all ...

As for obstructing criminals: It no longer suffices to have 400,000 of foreign origin in the bank for a spouse-extension. Why not? - Because Thai immigration does not have the power to check how those funds were earned and thus would not know wether the applicant was a human trafficker or heroin boss.

Admitted: the elimination of the 400 K rule is like using a sledgehammer where a light tapping with a fingertip would have been better - not likely to be many defined targets hit by the change - and they'd likely to have other means anyway. There might be a pimp or two, having married one of his hookers for visa-convenience) ... However, this only adds to clarity: Immigration cannot but know that many law-abiding, big spenders would be hit - and of course - they don't deliberately change laws to keep law-abiding big spenders out of the country... So, my guess is the reasoning behind this change could go like this: - If we should loose a lot of millions (billions) on this rule - so be it, mai ben rai. Even if it only saves us from granting visa extensions to 1 -3 criminals per year, it'll be worth it.

Why do I feel you are thai?

Are you thai?

I do not understand why since some month there is so many thai or thai alike who come in the forum, only to repeat the official stance/tune.

Or are you braind dead/washed farang? Did you exchanged some years in the IDC for a work as spy on the others fellas?

If I was a drugg boss, I would have enought money to pay , whatever the laws are. About criminal, I think thailand is famous about the crime rate, who is higher amongst the thai community than in developped countries amongst the local (I mean more thais are killed by thai in thailand than you have german killed by other german in germany).

Anyway laws are fine for me. They made me feel poor, hopeless, almost criminal (today I the convenience store where I use to buy my ciggy asked me about my passport and my visa ...). So I am going, I lost my investment that I made years ago, because anyway I will never ever be able to take my money from the bank, but as I am not anymore an happy camper/guest, I move out. Thailand will not lost many things for sure, I am only worth 1500us$ per month in foreign currency, but there is places where people seems to consider it's enought to have a life, a decent and legal business , even a long term visa.

But what is making me sad is the fact I am not the only one in this case. Troppo is another, even if I am sure he is more important that I am.

Does it will hurt the thai economy? Sure for a part, if I believe the numerous phone call I get since 3 weeks from the thai ladies I know ... All are loosing a part of their income, and it's only a start. Those ladies are not only maney earners but also customers, so if they do not have money, they can not shop ... Results will be show in 2 years I think.

I forget to precise I did not want here for the weather (thanks but it's better in my place), nor for the ladies (thanks again, women look akie in France too), nor for the fun ... I went here for economical reasons : compete agains indian and chinese. To say simply to make legally money. I will do it somewhere else, and pay my taxes in this somewhere else.

I switched from True to Buddy (yeah, those cute girls on the billboards convinved me!). You can read that story here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=85477

I had True automatically auto-debit every month from my Bangkok Bank account. I cancelled True by going to their office - no written confirmation was given,but sure enuff, they cut the line on the agreed date.

BUT; they apparetly forgot to tell the accounting dept. cause a few days ago I received the invoice for the coming month... . Oh. well; I called True, and they said "no worry - don't have to pay".

Naturally I still "worried" as the auto debit function probably would pay them as long as the kept sending invoices.... She then said to go to bank and arrange "stop-payment". Ok, made sense; they had f..... up, but I could cut them of at the pass! Jihaa!

Went to Bangkok Bank - and here comes the shocker; they needed confirmation from True (some form or something) to stop the payment! Eh.... huh? It is MY account and MY money and I any payments out have to be authorized BY ME ONLY. I have signed the auto debit form and should naturally also be able to be the one to cancel it!

The bank then send me BACK to True, where after waiting, they told me; "no worry - don't have to pay". - I explained them WHY I still worried....

They could not figure out to issue any form/confirmation as that was apparently not usual procedure.

The final, high-tech solution: until they stop charging me (they are guessing 1-2 months) I have to go to True with the invoice and updated bank book (imagine the hassle) and they will refund my money each month!

Impressive.... 2 of the biggest companies in Thailand BOTH making f...-ups (True should not charge after cancelled internet and BKK Bank should just let me stop-payment) and one wonder why they fear foreign competition...

Cheers!

Is it possible to link this post with the poll about the stall that reaped Siegfried while it was buying a rolex?

I think you posted there, did you?

For what it's worth :

Vovan and Associes.

They exist in Bkk, but they are first a french company of lawyers.

They exist in PAris, Lyon,Aix and MArseille, so you should be able to contact them in France (Barreau de l'ordre dans les villes citees, ou eventuallemtn the commiseriat central des villes citees devraient pouvoir te donner leur adresse). In Bangkok, try to contact Mr Frederic Favre, I was more than happy to use his services earlier.

Also they have good contact with the Franco Thai Chamber of commerce (You can also call mt Narine, who work there, speak decent french and who was very helpfull for me), They also have great contact with the French Embassy and the 'Charge d'affaires economiques'.

By respect for Sunbelt, who always did a outstanding job, I will not publy here their contacts infos in Bkk, but feel free to PM me and I will give it to you.

My 2 cents would be to contact and use both Vovan and Sunbelt, as Cahng parap explained earlier. It will make your investment more secure.

Franco_thai chamber of commerce :

tel +66 02 261 8276

ask for Khun Sukanya Uerchuchai (a delicous lady who is the director there). CAll, do not send emails.

Well, during the second Iraqui war I had some US clients who called me an anti patriotic person because I was french and was supporting my government. Funny joke indeed.

What I was trying to point out, is exactly what Gumball said : 99% of the rest of the world are not interested in USA, US policy (foreign or internal). Or maybe just to make a laught at it (count, recount ,re re re .... count).

Just I do not see why all have to be reliate or compared with USA. It's trully silly, I do not even think EU can be compared with USA. Why not compare Thailand with Wisconsin alone, or Wyoming?

About the ' the standards of living back home in the US ', I do not think people around the world wanmt to be over weight, touch by the correctness disease, or even speak only english (the average US citisen will speak american english with some words in spanish and it will be all; shall I compare with a dutch who speak fluently 3 or 4 languages for exemple?).

But that is OT ... up to a certain extent : laws that apply in one countries do not necessary apply in another one. Same can be say about moral, as overstaying is both a legal problem, and a moral problem.

Personaly I would never advice to overstay (too risky and it will also be followed by problem back home), nor I thnk an amnesty can be a good thing if the rules as they are actually are not changed. The real problem is not overstay or not, the real problem is WHY overstay? If the person is trap by some events in Thailand, yes it should be given to him/her a chance to make things right (actually it's the famous 20 000 bht fine). But someone overstaying because not able to get a real life on the long run will gain nothng with an amnesty, nor the thai society will do. I say so because I witnessed someone who taught english getting fired, then in huge financial problems (can not handle the visa run, not pay electricity), then found a new job, and who went to pay the fine ... So yes it's a kind of amnesty, and I do not see what to cahnge in that (maybe make it lower, or maybe payable in Sathorn directly ...).

may I have contact info ? website, place to register or eventually phone of buddy?

Sorry, but I do not go out, so read the bilboard is not an option for me.

Thanks in advance

ctrl + F5 not only bypass the local cache, but also send a fresh new http request to the server (or the proxy in your case). It's it's new, the proxy will ask the server.

Be aware ctrl + F5 will not work in case of .swf, I go delay about 24 hours. Same apply in case of include() or <iframe ....

the trick would be to happend a pseudo GET request

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php

would become

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?gdafdre15566

or any garbage of less than 250 characters after the question mark. it also byapss any proxy (more accurate than ctrl + f5)

Ha Ha Ha, Quote of the day: On the other hand, I do remenber gender disorder is a disease.

Yeah just give them some aspirin and they will be OK and turn back to being a man.

I suppose you also believe the story that is told by the governement about 9-11.

And you watch CNN and Fox news.

Before you make such statement do some research please.

Alex

May I take your post as quote of the year? I invite you to take some aspirin yourself

http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/328

http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/329

and

http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/334

from where I quote :

1. Introduction

What is transsexuality?

Gender dysphoria is a medically recognised condition2 which is successfully cured by hormonal and surgical treatment which brings the person’s body into harmony with his brain.3

The same document exist in UN, but sorry it's late , I worled all day so I do assume this one will be enought to enlight you (As long as you are able to read and UNDERSTAND english).

Anyway that is so easy to make a laught on other, it is not? Quid rides? De te fabula narratur!

African people in Soi 5 are not all from Nigeria, but there is also a big community coming from western africa. those people are spoken or Peul or Wallof.

The best way I know to avoid wasing much time with them is simply to comunicate in Peul or Wallof, or eventually in Baoule, they all have the same reaction, they simply run (well if you can speak, it mean you can understand, by so you maybe know ther\ir names and be able to curse them .... african beliefs).

Be aware on the other hand, they are up to anything , as long as it mean money. Kidney is an option, but not the only one