watso63

I agree the UK and others have a better system but political manifestos in themselves contain populist policies with the aim of being voted into power. The taxpayer foots the bill no matter what happens. Generally speaking taxes go up under Labour...personally I view that is a form of bribing the poorest in society for their votes and loyalty to the party as they tend to be the beneficiaries of that extra money. So, whoever wants power in Thailand has to win the vote of the poor as Thailand has a relatively poor population....or use the might of the military to seize it, but that risks civil war. I believe Suthep doesn't relish winning the support of poor rural people as it may be a lost cause, so he resorts to the rhetoric of a spoilt rabble rouser, using threats and intimidation to bully is way into power. Quite sad, but we may get more political stalemate or something much worse....we can only wait and see for now.

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So, in the UK populist policies are properly costed and scrutinised....mmm...the Millenium Dome??? The London Olympics won with a properly costed budget of £2.5 Billion (cost over £9 Billion) and don't ever forget Tony Blair being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people along with his mate Bush. Enough to make me look for somewhere else in the world to live.

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When the government does not listen, what can any one do. It is a desprate attempt, but these are desperate times. The government has not been forth coming with any information about the rice scheme. It is an option for them to provide it or not. Seems like that YS thinks that if the majority don't care about the abuse of power with the rice scheme, then it must not be important. Wrong....in a democracy everyones voice is as important as many. An election is a process which majority of the people believe that the elected offcial is best to lead and unite the country in the best interest of all its citizens. It does not mean that the leader will only care or put a major budget towards the majority. They must balance for the greater good of the nation. No one had any gripes or protest when she won. But the things that she has done with the Rice scheme, 1st car scheme, tablet for every child, illegal admendment to the constitution, passage of the amnesty bill...all of this happen under her leadership. She has not taken any accountability for anything. Always passing on the buck. Citizens have the rights to demand an answer. But no answer. Even the rice scheme, the first year they couldn't produce any information. For the benefit of the doubt, let's assume that it is complicated and take time to gather information. Doesn't that mean that it is being mismanaged. In that case, let temporarily stop the program. As everyone know, the farmer got angry. So they continue. Because it was ill concieved and would loose support of the North and reveal the truth that it was used to buy votes at the expense of the taxpayers. Yes I said it. Vote buying. Things like this that is causing Thailand to go in to financial dire. Project like this is one of the reforms that must happen. So parties can not promise impossible projects. All project must have fisical discipline. All the project is just spend and spend without any regard for balancing the budget. And then the 2 Trillon with as much transparency as the Rice Scheme that has passed. That was the last draw. The govt that can't even manage the rice scheme is quality to manage a 2Trillion budget. I think not. I can talk about the massive rice scheme corruption going. But that is not for this thread. Thai democracy is still evolving. This is part of it of its evolution. Remember, YS may have come by a legitmate way of the election through the democractic way. But her action is far from the democratic way, which makes her illegitament. One can not choose which gear of democracy to turn they all must turn in order for it to run.

And can you name one western democracy that doesn't indulge in 'vote buying' by political parties, beggaring the public finances with promises of largesse? I can't. It's standard procedure in UK, and that's why borrowing is out of control there.

If the Thai people don't like what Yingluk's government have done, then they can vote her out, same as they do everywhere else that runs with a parliamentary democracy. What Suthip is doing is born of petulance because he can't have it all his own way. Well tough shit. That's how democracy works. You want power, then go to the people with policies that will make them want to vote for you. That's how democracy is done. What Suthip is trying to achieve is mob rule and is totally illegitimate.

Are you off your rocker?

You say that the UK and the rest of the western democracies buy votes, and that is why there is massive borrowing there? That is the most bizarre political statement I have ever heard in my entire life.

If any campaigning political party in the UK offered money for votes, they would be slammed up in prison for election tampering, and the party banned for life. When political parties campaign for an election, their campaign manifesto is scrutinized in depth and picked apart by the media, other parties and the well politically educated public and also top political analysts.

Any lunatic populist policies will be exposed immediately and the party MPs responsible dragged onto national TV to be annihilated. Let alone have hundreds of media camped out on the doorstep of the party leader and his house.

The UK are not as gullible to fall for stupid populist policies. They demand to know about policies like, health, education, defense etc. Stop trying to portray the UK and the oldest and probably the most stable democracy in the world as some sort of thing you can compare with the joke that is Thai democracy.

I doubt you know the first thing about politics. You are a joke.

Completely agree with every word of this - the UK has the finest democracy in the world (and, as you pointed out. everything is scrutinised to ensure our elections are fair and proper). Any populist policies in a party's mandate must be fully costed and blatant ones designed to garner votes would be spotted a mile off and revealed as such!! There is nothing wrong with having populist policies if they do good are affordable and the people are in favour of them. British voters are the most savvy around and won't be fooled.

The rice scam is the kind of policy that would have been dreamt up by 'The Monster Raving Loonatic Party' as being their flagship policy!!

You don't need to know anything about Thai politics to understand Suthep is completely off his rocker.....I know many victims suffering from years of Lao Khao abuse that make more sense than him. Even worse are the moronic sheep that hang on to every word...... Amazed in Thailand 555

Came here to escape crap weather, work and chavs back in the UK.....got the weather, don't have to work anymore and have mostly avoided the dross idiots apart from the saddos that can only post negative and abusive comments, but hey ho my skin is thicker than most. Have Thai woman, house, condo, car, motorbike, quality carbon fibre bicycles, good running shoes, like riding without helmet, drinking beer...so I will either get scammed and lose all my money or die in a terrible accident before someone whose see it all before lets me know. Happy days and good luck to everyone else that enjoys being in Thailand.

Something going on in Krung Thep? Biggest news here in Surin is the "cold weather"

If Kuhn Suthep wants a peoples revolution, he better not hope that the majority of the people revolt....just saying.

A bit like turkeys voting for Christmas.

Can't be bothered checking, but if true....pretty shocking!

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First of all it means nothing to me. I used to find the whole thing totally OTT when I was back in the UK, USA, Germany, Canada or wherever. Now after being here the only reminder is the music I hear in Tesco-Lotus and the complete insanity of it all from the various news and programmes I watch on Truevisions. It is a religious festival that has been hi-jacked by greed and mass consumerism of biblical proportions. The worst and saddest part for me is the extent of exploitation of the poorest people that go into personal debt because of the various pressures they feel under.

I'm not a scrooge and if it's your thing, then great, have a good time.

Yeah, got that...fingers too big for txtg on my "smart" thingy 555

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Gazzpa, I never get bitter or jealous. Just reading some posts made by certain people urged a response. If someone wishes to change their life, for whatever reason, it is their choice. Why someone has to belittle another person for having a Thai "partner"...house, car, gold or whatever is nothing but spiteful. Sure, many a fool has been had, but many more are happy with their lot. He without sin...cast the first stone, but certain people just like their little games and will carry on playing no matter what. Oh, by the way I am not suggesting it is you...just in case.

65,000 × 2.7 ÷ 100 = 66,755 an increase of 1,755/month. Anyway, it is just an exercise to show that getting the minimum pension requirement for a retirement visa based on a pension paid in the UK means it's quids in even if inflation is high in Thailand. Doesn't reflect my personal circumstances even though I do have a retirement visa for Thailand. I am just trying to point out that even at the MINIMUM amount the benefits of a weak baht is a good thing. Living in Thailand is not the same as visiting for 2 weeks and there is nothing I or anyone else can do about Thai government policy, big business or the markets influencing the currency. Go with the flow and enjoy the ride while you can...still feeling good after watching Carabao in my local town tonight! Feeling drunk? a little, just in case someone needs to presume :-)

As a retiree I am required to have a minimum pension of 65,000 THB/month.

65,000 @ 42 THB/£=£1548

52 THB/£=£1250=£298 or 15496 THB better off/month.

I live quite comfortably on 30,000 THB and even if inflation was 10% that would be an increase of 3,000/month therefore in real terms 12496 THB better off.

One last thing my pension is linked to the UK RPI, so April 2014 I get a 2.7% increase 65000 + 2.7% = 667,500.

I've applied logic and simple maths....or if I've made an error, then I'm sure someone will correct me....again I used 65,000 as this is the MINIMUM monthly requirement.

Your pension is linked to the CPI... If it was the RPI you would be getting more but the government soon changed that..

your maths is too simple 'watso63'. let's try again and find out that 65,000 + 2.7% is (unfortunately for you) not 667,500

As a retiree I am required to have a minimum pension of 65,000 THB/month.

65,000 @ 42 THB/£=£1548

52 THB/£=£1250=£298 or 15496 THB better off/month.

I live quite comfortably on 30,000 THB and even if inflation was 10% that would be an increase of 3,000/month therefore in real terms 12496 THB better off.

One last thing my pension is linked to the UK CPI, so April 2014 I get a 2.7% increase 65000 + 2.7% = 667,500.

I've applied logic and simple maths....or if I've made an error, then I'm sure someone will correct me....again I used 65,000 as this is the MINIMUM monthly requirement.

Your pension is linked to the CPI... If it was the RPI you would be getting more but the government soon changed that..

House, car, gold, diamonds, hottub, CSA, big chunks of my pension lump sum etc....UK, NOT THAILAND. Full of boring old women in their 40's waiting for god, nagging any man that has a bit of get up and go. Well I did get up and go and I am happy....even happier as the baht weakens against the £. "It's my life I'll decide not you"....wise lyrics from Beyond the Realms of Death, Judas Priest. Oh yeah and my money not yours!

As a retiree I am required to have a minimum pension of 65,000 THB/month.

65,000 @ 42 THB/£=£1548

52 THB/£=£1250=£298 or 15496 THB better off/month.

I live quite comfortably on 30,000 THB and even if inflation was 10% that would be an increase of 3,000/month therefore in real terms 12496 THB better off.

One last thing my pension is linked to the UK RPI, so April 2014 I get a 2.7% increase 65000 + 2.7% = 667,500.

I've applied logic and simple maths....or if I've made an error, then I'm sure someone will correct me....again I used 65,000 as this is the MINIMUM monthly requirement.

As a retiree UK expat (lucky at 50 years old) I am at the mercy of currency fluctuations as most of "us" are. I was sweating a bit when the £ dropped to 42Thb, but I believed Thailand was in an economic bubble and would suffer as a result of USA QE tapering and now its political problems are putting further pressure on the baht and restoring its value to its historic norm. Selfish? a little, but enjoying riding the rollercoaster of life in the sunshine.

I was coming to live in Thailand no matter what, so started looking on an asian dating website. I found "an honest, well to do" woman. Booked a holiday with my brother and his Thai wife. Met the "honest...good heart woman" waited for an opportunity, got access to her laptop...only to find she had a husband in OZ. Binned her, went back to UK, sold up and found another. 18 months later we are very happy, live together and life is great.

So, it is luck of the draw....some good some bad. As for Thai women being expensive...nowhere near as expensive as those western gold diggers it has been my misfortune to have been in relationships with.

Good luck to all, but keep your wits about you.

I don't know what some people have to gain with their sarcastic comments, but there are enough good, friendly and helpful people living here in Thailand. Why not mention her nickname, place of residence etc. Someone might know of her and help you out. I live in a small village in rural Surin, but know quite a few expats and girls with overseas boyfriends/husbands etc. 18 months of dating then no news isn't good, but you care enough to make the post.

You might not get the answer you want...but at least you may discover the truth.

Good luck.