sting01

It's a two edged sword rolling out more Tesco etc.

On the one hand it does close down small business and breaks communities. We have seen this in the UK and now it's at critical level.

Wait for Tesco/ Lotus start moving into other areas other than retail.

Everything in time becomes the same. Carbon copies of each other as shopping centres. Very boring sameness with no real interaction with other people.

The worst thing for me is the loss of fresh food markets. I enjoy walking around the early morning markets and purchasing fresh veg etc. Nearly always the price is cheaper than Tesco etc.

The other side of the sword is Tesco have and are giving a choice to the people.And lets face it Thai people and everyone around the world love that choice.

No more out of date stale food.

Reasonable prices if not cheaper for a lot of their products.

Customer service, any problems with items and they refund or change no questions asked.

Up to date products.Polite staff willing to help.

As other posters point out CP has rolled out a crazy amount of 7-11's and I suspect they are more responsible for killing "mom & pops" little shop.

Guess what? they are mostly fancaise so it's Thai's doing it to Thai's.

I expect that Tesco express stores are NOT francaise so therefore it is not possible for Thai's to jump on the same idea as 7-11. If they could there would be a tesco next to every 7-11 in no time.

In the end it's progress and i'm sure small business will suffer but the customers will probably do better.......

By the way the big competition ie: Carrefour, Tops, Big C are way behind and over priced in most cases...... Much the same as back here in the UK before. Makro is wholesale so not realy in competition.

The result in the UK has been that other businesses have had to evolve and step up to the mark to survive. Again the result is the consumer wins. I sometimes do think that Thai businesses need to have a wake up call on service etc etc.

Tesco is not french

Carrefour is french, same name in France

Big C is french too, it's related to Guichar Perrachon familly.

Big C was implemented in Thailand because since the early 90 Guichard Perrachon have a permanent team of buyer for east asia located in Bangkok. It allowed at that time to order via satellite teleconference the quantity needed for your hypermarket (I am speaking here as management person). Those as the buyers and their staff were not used at 100%, and as it was potentiallity in Thailand, the group decided to be implemented, not to really earn money, but simply to not loose it (the expertise and the relation od the buyers group were used for the selection of products to offer in Big C ... selection different of the one in Tesco).

So big C is a bit more expensive than Tesco, because the group is not looking for huge expension, but more to simply affirm/stand a position in Thailand and in south east asia. So the amount of customers is not the key, the regularity and the fidelisation of the customers is the key.

^ To be fair to Sting01, being French he is raised and educated in a different 'culture of society' from that we in the UK/US/Australia (The Anglo Saxon societal model), to understand that you'd have to either have lived in France for a significant period or perhaps have read and understood the list of philosophers/authors he gave in his assessment of things he misses in Thai culture – I honestly believe you'd have at the very least need to have read Voltaire and Rousseau before making any meaningful comment on French society and values.

These are simply different views and not deserving of personal abuse.

But sadly that is what we come to expect.

one -- without claiming to have any knowledge of french culture or values, I have also not made any comment about their culture.

the only point i made was perhaps he should refrain from being too negative about thai culture without knowing it too? and yes sure people have a right to express their unhappiness with a situation, and as he had already mentioned, he decided to not continue to live here. fine by me. live here dont live here, its not really an issue. but those that are here, and if you post comments that to me sounds like...the holier than thou message, then you will also hear what I feel about it

BUT I believe I have at no point insulted anyone

Who say I do not understand thai culture? Are you more expert than I am, or are you more thai than I am (my grand grand father was thai!).

Negative? Is it to be negative to call a black cat a black cat, or to say for exemple it's not possible to find 50 consecutive meters of flat streets to walk in Bangkok, or is it negative to point out the local minorities (hills tribes) still are citizens of no man's land .... Or is it simply harsh and dirty facts that we prefer avoid in any conversation with or related to our host? Then a question follow : Am I a guest or a migrant/tourist? If a guest , I will not even see those dirty facts. If am a migrant or a tourist, I will report them as fact without any political comment (politic of thailand is reserved to thai people, as in any country). Anyway if I think something and if I can give coherent proofs o the reasons of my thought, why should I have to advertise the opposite? I am not a public girl wo call handsum guy a old man of 70 simply because she hope to get some money(true in any country).

Liberty = you do anytig you want unless you cross my own liberty. Likewise for me.

Freedom = do anything you want unless it's expressly forbidden.

Anarchy = do anythin anywhere at any moment you like.

I choosed long time ago Liberty over freedom.

This is useful information.I have one question.If one is

a) a Thai resident spending more than 180 days per year here

without any Thailand sourced or derived income

c) funding living expenses in Thailand from capital earned in previous years (on lines smiling jim's example above)

does one still have to fill in and submit an annual Thai tax return?

I put this question to a advisor of a leading accounting firm.He said that strictly speaking one should do but it would be very unusual to do so if all one was doing was submitting a nil return.On balance his advice was not to bother unless there was actually some tax to be paid.I have taken his advice but am a little uneasy. Are there any penalties for not submitting a tax return for example?

I tried myself to file apply for a "Tax ID" in order to file a return. They refused to give me one because I do not have a work permit. I tried to explain that I am liable to taxes here because I aggregate a stay of more than 183 days for this year - but they smile and don't want to be bothered.

I think it'd be safer to submit a nil return regardless, I will meet soon with Sunbelt to have them assist me in obtaining a Tax ID so I can file a nil return here in Thailand.

Be careful, because I think a tax ID can be removed after 2 or 3 years of nil return. Ask Sunbelt about that also

All your posts do that, stingy, all of them...

At least a person of quality who can make the difference btw humor (even if weird humor) and insult .

I mostly post as a satyrical newspaper do in France (le canard enchaine, I do assume Francois can explain what it is).

Useless and pointless, remove by myself

It was a long answer, but certainly useless, and pointless for the main stream of the TV member. So I deleted it.

On the other hand, I am willing to continue the conversation in pvt with MIG19 and precise why I used the wording I choosed.

And nothing was Deragatory in my comments. Sorry if you feel it

Dear Mig,

First of all, I do not flight, I am a backpacker, not a bonafide tourist, so I will walk ... Long road indeed, but I am sure I will enjoy it.

Second, Liberty is not Freedom, my broken english do not allow me to be more precise (still I do have problems while trying to explain conceptual ideas, but I am sure a shoot to cambridge dictionary will explain what is different).

About anarchy, and people who buy their own anarchy, well maybe we should let an expert (the little black duck in that case) answer us :

Big brother is looking over your shoulder constantly..Difficulty in doing Simple thing like opening a bank acc.. or putting up a garden shed just two thing that spring to mind..Local Govt,State Govt and Federal Govt.. Radar Speed traps,DUI cant go out for a night out..And the cops wouldnt tollerate half the things you get away with here..

I will not comment that any society have to have laws or rules, and without them it's anarchy, and then the law of the strongest(richest? wealtiest?)

You say :

---- the kind of democracy where minorities are still treated as at best 'migrants'? after having been born there?

Are you spoken of the hillstribes? Because if you do not know, Zidane got his french ID long time before to be famous.

Should I invite you to speak about what you know, and not about what you watched at foxnews while having your usual hangover?

--- hmmm would that qualify as racist remark I wonder...what does your constitution say? it allows you to make general defamatory remark like that about another sovereign country? perhaps we need to consult it.

Well, first let me precise my constitution do not care much about what a citizen adult can say about another country while living in that country. Is it racist to point out my country exist since 1500 (or 1600 years)? I do not think so. Does a chinese people who say China exist since 2500 years can be caled racist? Or a japanese stating the imperial family is the longuest dynasty existing do a racist comment? I point out on the fact we daily hear about the traditional culture of LOS, and I simply compare with what is used to be called traditional in my own country (it was the OP question I think, to compare how good it is here and how bad it is back home ... or am I confuse?)

Anyway, it's my opinion, smile, I just expressed it. Notice, at the opposite of you, I am not trying to make you change yours. You are happy here, great. That isthe strenght of human race, we have diversity of opinion. I think also, about constitution, there is some remote countries who have the right to express an opinion protected by their constitution : first amendment I think!

Or maybe, are you unsure of your choice? unconfortable with them and need to have a crown (a group of people like cheerleaders, I am unsure about the speling of crown/crow) who make you feel warm and who say you did the right choice (exactly like just after you bought a timeshare in venezuela, the seller make you feel smart and wise to have spend that money for this time share). Ichoosed alone to come here, I have my opinion (that is personal and maybe stupid) on my own, and if it make people unhappy I can't help

To get over this way of thinking I recommend a minimum two week trip back home. I think a week is enough BUT an extra week will make you realize just how lucky we really are here in the Kingdom.

Isn't that the truth?

A fortnight back in your country of origin will be enough to make you realise that any and all problems you think you have in LOS pale into insignificance in comparison.

BTW, congrats on the 5K Neeranam.

Sting01... are you French?

eventually, in more to be pissed off, bitter and nut, I am also french. But it's not related, I do know some french people who positively love Thailand and who positively hate Voltaire, Racine .....

Allow me to re formulate : Thailand is the second best third worl country where I lived during the last 25 years. The number was Ivory coast. But , as Ivory Coast , it's still a developping country, assuming you weight a country not with only a city, or some Hi So citisen of this country, but in it's whole (64 millions of people in Thailand, with the average earming of ....)

ask paradorn, he is diplomed es tata young

Well, after someyears in thailand, I can compare btw life here and life there (my own country) :

1) Beer is cold, often serve with ice. It's at least an abomination in my own country, on the ground iced beer will suppress the taste of houblon, and by drink a beer will simply be drink alcohol and not enjoythe full pleasure of it

2) life is cheap, it allow me to compete with indians or chineses. Staying in my own country I would have a life for a week with what I am earning here in one month.

3) internet is atbest not good, but usually is a poor thing (no bandwith, censored aleatory, sometimes working slow as a 33K). In my country .... well real DSL everywhere, and optical fiber next year (6 Gig both up and down).

4) The expats because they can get some life they did not deserve in their own country are thinking they are Hi So. The day a Pataya resident will be able to compare his lifestyle with a Cannes/Nice/Monaco resident (expat too), will be a day of sadness for many whoresmonger.

5) I do enjoy the factto live in a country with a long (sic) hystory because I a mborn from a very young country (only 1 500 years old).

6) I do also enjoy the true meaning of the word culture while being in thailand, as my country is a cultureless country (well I had to dig hard to find some name, such Voltaire , Rousseau, Moliere, Zola, Dumas, Depardieau, Sophie Marceau, Gainsbourg, Lulli, Rameau , Goddart, Sartre). Yes I am thankfull to be in country that is culturally advanced (Thailand is the contry of .... feel free to fill the blank, because I can not).

7) I am glad to live in a country where tolerance , justice, and equality is the moto. I do not feel like a cashcow, nor I do think it's unfair to give 51% of my company shares to somechai, nor find it'sabusive I had to support finacialy people (400 000 for support visa) ... Well, any legislation of that kind would be denied by the constitutional concil in my own country as racist, and opposite to the declaration of the citisen rights (you know the document that start by : every human being is born egal in right .......).

8) As white westerner, son of a country who had an empire last century, I think it's good I learn how you can feel when it's you the untermensch. For that also I am grateful to thailand, for the first time of my life I felt not like a shit (that is the feeling I had in my country) but less than a shit.

9) I am also grateful to have discover the true meaning of democracy, and also the famous rule of : I know best. Saddly in europe , political men tend to listen what the citisens said, and by so do not fufill their duty completly.

10) No need to say : when you are unhappy somewhere the best is to leave. I am jsut waiting the end of my rent (2 month) to go. So no need to pupsh me, or to invite me to do so, it's planned. It;'s an opinion forum, so I give mine. And I wonder if someone can counter argument what I said without using : YOU ARE A GUEST (I am not, because usually a guest do not pay), or THAI PEOPLE ARE ANGEL (sorry but I did not saw wings.

Last point, Liberty is not freedom, and freedom is not anarchy. Many of us expat are happy to be here because they can buy their own anarchy (they can drive drunk, because if the police arrest them they will simply pay). But in that case, if you are here only to buy, what kind of respect for the natives do you have (appart saying you are in love with the asian way to allow rich to buy legality)?

the beta of IE 7 were not compatible with javascript. Does the problem is fixed?

Another point, up to IE 6, a <select> (dropdown) was considered as an active X, and by itwas almost impossible to use a DHTML menu that covered it ( I issued a way to do so, even if Microsoft agreed with and invited people to use it, they called it an ugly corner hack). So does this problem is fixed too?

What about the DOM? Does IE 7 follow the DOM, or is it another proprietary implentation?

Those who have some knowledge of litterature will immediatly compare the OP with Baron de Rastignac, the hero (sic) of Dumas. Or maybe with some hero of Stendahl in " Madame de Bovary " (shame on me I forget his name).

Both we looking to be popular, mean starting from low , they were ready to all to climb the social ladder.

Well, facts are stubborns, and you get the rank you deserve. Some ranks, even in democracy (like USA) or meritocraty (like France) can be obtain not only because you deserve it by your own qualities but also because your familly (Let say the fact to be amed Hasburg, Bourbon, De La Roche Foucault will help a lot).

Anyway a commoner will stay a commoner, and the popularity he can have will be the disco popularity. Do not dream, someone like Mr Bouygues (the father, the man who created the multnational with the same name) even rich was always considered as a comoner, or an industry baron (mean someone who have enought money to buy a position without the standing to keep this position).

Martial law can't be lifted yet, PM tells Indonesian leader

JAKARTA: -- Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont told Indonesian president Saturday that his country's martial law will be lifted as soon as a greater degree of stability returns to Thailand .

This issue emerged in talks during the one-day official visit to Jakarta of Gen. Surayud during which he called on Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Gen. Surayud was accompanied by several Thai Cabinet ministers including Energy Minister Piyasavasti Amranand, Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet and Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gen. Surayud said he briefed the Indonesian president on how the Thai government is working towards national unity and reconciliation, as well as efforts to end violence in the southern border region.

Gen. Surayud praised Indonesia's efforts to restore peace in Aceh, saying that Thailand is learning from Indonesia's peace-making efforts.

The Thai prime minister, who has been touring ASEAN capitals after his appointment, said he briefed the Indonesian president on the "frank discussions" he had with the Malaysian leader concerning the troubles in Thailand's restive south.

"I have asked the Indonesian president to contribute to the peace-making effort in the south by talking to other Islamic nations within the framework of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, similar to what Malaysia has offered to do," Gen. Surayud said.

During a plenary session between the visiting Thai and Indonesian ministers, both sides agreed to focus cooperation on energy and technical assistance in the areas of energy, agriculture and fisheries.

Gen. Surayud said he told the Indonesian leader that the martial law which has been in place in Thailand for over a month will be lifted upon assurance that the situation in regions outside Bangkok is stablised, and the sooner that happens, the better.

The Thai prime minister has been to Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia as part of his tour of Southeast Asia. He is scheduled visit the Philippines and Vietnam next week.

--TNA 2006-10-21

One month? Is that possible? It was supposed to be for 2 weeks only ............

Mens sana in corpore sanum!

Ever heard that Gents and Chicks?

About the student working to pay tuition fees, I know some real student (in MBA) who also pay their tuition fees by working in N E P. Does prostitution (that does not exist in Thailand) have to be legalised because of them?

Alcohol and tobacco problems are public health problems. Tobacco is banned in Ireland, and the pub owners are saying 2 things : more clients who stay longer and staff is less sick ...

Coupled alcohol with sport, hight level sport is a pure disgrace, like for exemple the local liquor who advertised by using a picture of Zidane and stating he was so good because he used to drink this local liquor (local = thai) ... What a joke, I do not think Zinedine Zidane have ever drink alcohol. Same can say about tobacco, in the team who won the footbal world cup in 1998, it was 1 (one) person who used to smoke : Fabien Barthez.

So, tobacco and alcohol are bad for health and body and in no way compatible with sport (hight or low level).

The beer girls working inbeer garden ... well, maybe thailand should generate some real jobs that are not directly or undirectly reliate to the entertainment industry ... or maybe as it's in europe allow people with enought grey cells to study without regards on their income or their parent wealth ( a student in France will pay about 4 * 50 euros (50 euros per year) to go in university and get a master IF and only IF he/she is worth the diploma).

Personal opinion, but who will cares about the pretty young lady in a beer garden if you get a stroke, a cyrhose, or any other disease related to hight consomption of alcohol???? Will you?

The best counter to this particular straw man is to ask, "Will it change anything?" I take no issue with the general version of the points you make about tobacco and alcohol being bad for the health, but the question here is whether this policy will effect change on consumption habits. We actually had a period of prohibition in the US where alcohol production and consumption was completely illegal. Now, the US and Thailand aren't similar in many ways, but I think I can safely say that the number of flags we fly and the amount of alcohol we consume is pretty similar. Judging by our shared proclivities in terms of vices, I'm guessing that these bans will affect alcohol consumption in The Kingdom in much the same way that the self-imposed liquor advertising bans in the US affect liquor consumption or in much the same way that prohibition did, which is to say "not at all." Certainly if the laws governing prostitution and pornography are any indication, consumption of sex services or products depicting sex as consumer items certainly don't seem to have been affected in Thailand. From what I understand we have a number of brothels in the US, but Thailand is leagues ahead of even our nation of 300,000,000 in terms of open and might-as-well-be-legal prostitution. In that light, what makes you think that a ban on alcohol advertising will in any way change alcohol consumption?

I don't mean to preach a wholly libertarian solution to a moral and public health issue that is the rightful concern of nations in their self-governance, but I think you really need to be pragmatic when you make policy. Ireland didn't ban tobacco or tobacco advertising, it banned smoking in establishments just like the US has in various states and municipalities for years. After years of public service campaigns and selective advertising bans we've become probably the single most smoking-unfriendly major nation on the face of the Earth. Yet, still, the prevalence of smoking among men and women in America has plateaud since the early 1990s - the time when these laws began to be passed. The laws in Ireland and the US exist because of years of anti-smoking education, the smoking didn't cease because of them, the laws were passed because years of education and public indoctrination changed social behavior. You have to build that foundation and achieve public buy in before you can expect laws to have any effect, otherwise you're just pissing in the wind as we say in Texas. You're passing feel-good laws that either will have no effect or that people won't obey and that's not good for either the integrity of your system or, in this case, for its economy. Who is helped? Many other things are bad for people - should we make all of those illegal? Or is it just alcohol and tobacco? I think you see where I'm going.

The only area I really think you're just out of line on is in proclaiming that Thailand "should generate some real jobs." That's just petty bullying of a developing country. It's not as if the Thai people stand up and vote to have their young walk around bars wearing beer logo dresses, it's just what's available. And anyway, this particular type of job isn't uncommon in the US at all either - go to any college town or major city in the richest nation on earth and you'll find plenty of girls wearing either logo'd outfits or bikinis hawking alcohol. I'd have to do some research, but given that most of the various trends in modern marketing (the promotion function at least) flow from either the USA or the UK, I'd be willing to bet that we invented the beer girl. I certainly know we have them. It just seems petty to blame Thai college kids for doing a job that American college kids do as if the Thais are somehow lower for doing it.

[in the interest of disclosure I should point out that I do drink, I don't smoke and, given the chance, I would vote for smoking bans in bars and restaurants in the US, if not Thailand]

Well I do agree prohibition is not solution. I also agree we are spoken about a developing country. But I also agree that east do not have to replicate west mistakes.

So I will develop my argumentation by saying Zola described well what was the situation in europe one century ago (l'assomoir), and the same is describing what is the situation right now to thailand.

Anyway, mostly people come here (western malesI mean) for 2 things : cold beer and hot chicks. The ban will suppres both, so yes it can create problem.

On the other hand, does that country really need to rely on acoholic who kill or kill thenslef while driving drunk? or on 'semi mondaines' whose work is to push weak men to over drinking?

Anyway I express an opinion that is not the opinion of the majority of the people, I do know it. But it's an opinion. I do smoke, I do not drink because I can not handle any hangover the day after (my work need me to have a clear brain) not because for some moral reason. But I also know how my health was damaged by years of smoking (starting to pay theprice).

So just an opinion, no need to flame me (note to other posters )

hello

For a person

A person earn 1200 unit. (daily)

Food is 800 unit.

House rent is 900 unit.

General spend 500 unit

Result is negative.

How much a person in Thailand earning is?

arrow09

earning I do not know, but :

food ( can have 3 meals per day for less than 100 bht, just go to the market, and eat like thai people)

house rent 900 * 30 = 27 000 sound expensive for me. I think you can find condo with western standart at 10 000 + elec . Can be half of it near huay kwang, and if you are ready to the thai standart, it can be cheap as 2500 near saphan mai

General spend, hard to comment depend of what you spend?

You smoke, drink, work so much so you have no time to sleep and are heavilly stressed then you blame your heart problems on two bottles of Red Bull????????

Sound like bull to me.

Well I supposed to have wrote : I do NOT drink. Last acohol I drink was 4 years ago.

I do agree the causes are well know (tobacco + coffe + stress), what I tried to describe is the reason why I passed from a state of potential sick man to a state of sickman.

Anyway it's an advice I tried to give, take it or leave it, it will make no difference for me

My lady boy friend advice the following :

Dr Prichet in Suthisan, the guy do correct work and is not really overpriced.

My friend (us citisend living in california) went there in 2004 for breats and chrin (unsure about the spelling). All was smooth and for what I saw , with modern standart (no infection).

On the other hand, she is my friend, not my gf, so I can not tell how it feel after when a guy touch ... No one laught, for many (ladies or ladyboy) that is also important, they do not need other know it's not natural.

Well, a personal story and a general warning.

Background : I am a past sportman (national university team 20 years ago) 45 y old. Right now I do smoke (about a pack per day, let say 15 ciggies per days), do not drink, but I am heavily stressed and have little time to sleep.

Last monday I got suplementary work to do, and I suposed coffe will not help (drink a lot so can not drink more), so I tested Red Bull and M150. I drank one of each monday, one of each tuesday.

Wenesday morning, while working I felt a huge pain my chest, located left side, just under my nipple

I went to lay, it was difficult because no position was given me relief. I felt over tired, impossibleto breath (was causing extra pain), and I was at nearly 180 pulses.

So bottom line is be extra careful while using those drink, they can put you down (I think it was not worst because I do drink alcohol, and somewhere I still keep an athletic body).

Mens sana in corpore sanum!

Ever heard that Gents and Chicks?

About the student working to pay tuition fees, I know some real student (in MBA) who also pay their tuition fees by working in N E P. Does prostitution (that does not exist in Thailand) have to be legalised because of them?

Alcohol and tobacco problems are public health problems. Tobacco is banned in Ireland, and the pub owners are saying 2 things : more clients who stay longer and staff is less sick ...

Coupled alcohol with sport, hight level sport is a pure disgrace, like for exemple the local liquor who advertised by using a picture of Zidane and stating he was so good because he used to drink this local liquor (local = thai) ... What a joke, I do not think Zinedine Zidane have ever drink alcohol. Same can say about tobacco, in the team who won the footbal world cup in 1998, it was 1 (one) person who used to smoke : Fabien Barthez.

So, tobacco and alcohol are bad for health and body and in no way compatible with sport (hight or low level).

The beer girls working inbeer garden ... well, maybe thailand should generate some real jobs that are not directly or undirectly reliate to the entertainment industry ... or maybe as it's in europe allow people with enought grey cells to study without regards on their income or their parent wealth ( a student in France will pay about 4 * 50 euros (50 euros per year) to go in university and get a master IF and only IF he/she is worth the diploma).

Personal opinion, but who will cares about the pretty young lady in a beer garden if you get a stroke, a cyrhose, or any other disease related to hight consomption of alcohol???? Will you?

BOI reveals Western Digital will pour in 35 billion baht over 8 years to produce HDD in Thailand

The Board of Investment (BOI) has revealed that foreign investors are still confident in Thailand's capabilities, with Western Digital, a major producer of mass storage drives, recently having asked for 35 billion baht of expansion in its hard disk drive production.

BOI Secretary-General Sathit Chanchaokul (สาธิต ชาญเชาวน์กุล) said Western Digital have expressed confidence in Thailand's capability of being the center for hard disk drive production. The company on Friday (October 20) filed incentives request for its 8-year investment plan that would involve 35 billion baht of investment value, for the production of hard disk drives and parts.

The factory would be placed in Bangpa_in (บางปะอิน) industrial estate in Ayutthaya province. This plant would produce items solely for export, which would be worth 150 billion baht per year.

Mr. Sathit said readiness in infrastructures, quality labor and the acquaintance of the country to investment atmospheres are all factors that drive foreign interest in establishing production bases in Thailand.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 21 October 2006

After the hubs, w go for the center now semantically, what is the difference?

Hi Lopburi - do you know of anyone who has got a phd from a thai university and got PR ? I know that the senior members of most universities in thailand are well connected and if they like you could make things happen. You would be seen to be making a big contribution to Thailand too - and from past experience I dont think that it would be too hard if motivated and genuinely interested and I can think of plenty of research topics that would be very popular. The standard of research in 2nd tier Thai universities is quite different from that in the UK.

I too would like a route to PR and making a good contribution to Thailand (apart from paying the Gov alot of tax) as well would be a bonus. My problem is I have a PhD all ready - still it would be good to have another then I could be PhD squared !

Of the listed options only the ED path with perhaps a doctorate degree would be likely to lead to PR. Unless you are well known for other reasons the non payment of tax here would probably rule out much chance of PR. So if that is the goal business is probably your best bet.

Question, is it a law that state a foreigner have duty to make contribution to Thailand?

If yes, please kindly point me (us) on that law.

On the same idea, does anyone know where the law stating foreigners are guest in Thailand is? I would like to show it to my landlord (a guest never pay something, for sure do not pay housing as he/she is a guest).

Also, related indeed, does a guest (not a foreigner) have also the duty to make contributions? Or does the status of guest allow to NOT make contributions?

Rule number 1 :

A foreigner is invited to carry as much as money he/she can when entering in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Rule number 2:

A foreigner is invited to carry no money, or close to be no money, when living the Kingdom of Thailand.

Rule number 3:

Any foreigner guilty to breach the rule number 2 will be moved throught thailand to visit temple (case of familly) or red light spots (case of single middle aged anglo saxons white male) and by so spend his/her money untill the customs officers decide the foreigner became a threat for the thai culture and by so decide he/she have to leave the kingdom as soon as possible.

Rule number 4 :

That is a joke, it's saturday and I just hope to make some of you smile.

I dissagree, I think the energy minister is being very realistic and level headed. 800,000 hectares of oil palm used to produce a fuel that will cost more per barrel than anything else on the market was a stupid plan from the start.

Bio fuels are a great idea, but like it or not, they are still not yet commerically viable for Thailand.

Yet , you right, yet it's not profitable.

But what is the job of a government? Plannification, long sight, try to guess what will happend in 10 years, 25 years, 50 years ... THe use of statistics can help too.

So yes, actually it's not profitable, let say any liter of bio fuel that is sold is $ in less for the Oil copmpanies, and we do know all how powerfull they are. But saying it's good to scrap an alternative because right now this alternative is not profitable is a short sight idea, comparable to the denial of the global warning ... What will happend in 10 years, 25 years or 50 years???????????

I do not deny that bio fuels are a positive move, however like it or not, money controls countries, regardless of any idealism we may have.

I do think that in the future bio fuels will have their place in Thailand, however, not to the extent of which the former PM dreamed. The only real way to find sustainable energy is to cut usage to a degree where alternatives are viable.

I do not deny you did not deny .... lol

In fact what I wassaying : what is planned then? I am affraid nothing. The problems in that are :

1) there is no real economical approach that say the oil palm is not a viable energy (the market price today is just a screenshot, by economical I mean an economical projection for the next 10, 25, 50 years).

2) What will be the capacity of thailand (or any other country) in 50 years to fullfill the need of the people living in thailand with regards to the needs of energy similar to oil?

3) Similar to the " La Hague power plant " that was supposed to use the sea power to create electricity, maybe oil palm is a dead end. But I still do not see any propostion for replace it (after La hague , it was decided to go in 2 ways : electric cars and bio fuel from colza)

4) Mostly a governement (any and anywhere) will never be able to make 100 % of the population happy. I wonder if palm was choosed not for the qualities of its oil, but simply because the palm culture is traditionally made in some sectors that needed to be 'evangelised' ot turned to the right political thoughts (mean we will use palm because we need your vote ...). Same reflection for the denial of the use of palm oil (sanction against ...).

I precise the point 4 is NOT and affirmation, I do not have any insight on the subject. I also precise I am not trying to suggest something. I just ask , as people in my own country would have ask about that kind of subject.

It's not about to give up right.

If you are acting as a company employee, your actings/sayings will involve the company itself. by so it's normal if the company protect itself (case of kiddie porn viewed while at work for exemple).

There is a lot of world companies (France telecom/orange for exemple) that ask an employee to sign a formal document where it's stated internet have to used only for professional means while at work (in fact the wording is more precise, it's while at work, or if not at work the use of any server related to the company, such send an personal email from your home but with your professional address, it's simply forbidden).

On the other hand, the company accept to use fact, but to not modify by any means what is send or received. If you send a mail to your gf (Assuming she is not a client) then you are guilty, but Orange do not have the right to check by other way than a sofware. The mail will be logged, but will not be read by a human person. Your privacy is respected, and the case is only a professional case, similar to someone working in a garage who borrow a client car for something. Somehting is irrelevant, but borrow a client car is relevant. I hope the image is clear (affraid about my english).

I use to work , officially as freelance, but it's 2 years so it's more as a regular job, for a society based in USA. I have as well an email with them. On the same time I still work as real freelance for other comps, I never use that email for communication with my others clients. It would involve the US company and be at least fool, maybe considered as a unfair way (using the US company reputation for exemple) for me to get clients.

So reading email is not legal, but necessary (security both IT security, and legal security). On theother hand, modify without the consent of the email owner (the person who send , or get it) the ocntent of the wmail is illegal.With a good lawyer, it must be possible to make it called an " anlawfull hack and a modification of vital electronic datas" and certaily allow the email owner (the OP) to get huge money against it ... with also a early retirement because I doubt anyone after will be ready to offer him work. So depend if really those emails were important, if yes sue the company. If not, simply do not use anymore this email even for communications with the company on the ground you discovered a third party was hacking the mail server. They will understand and maybe give some explanations.

I dissagree, I think the energy minister is being very realistic and level headed. 800,000 hectares of oil palm used to produce a fuel that will cost more per barrel than anything else on the market was a stupid plan from the start.

Bio fuels are a great idea, but like it or not, they are still not yet commerically viable for Thailand.

Yet , you right, yet it's not profitable.

But what is the job of a government? Plannification, long sight, try to guess what will happend in 10 years, 25 years, 50 years ... THe use of statistics can help too.

So yes, actually it's not profitable, let say any liter of bio fuel that is sold is $ in less for the Oil copmpanies, and we do know all how powerfull they are. But saying it's good to scrap an alternative because right now this alternative is not profitable is a short sight idea, comparable to the denial of the global warning ... What will happend in 10 years, 25 years or 50 years???????????