ronnie50

This should be in the news section but it's not...like so many others that shoud be. Maybe they are just being accidentally overlooked.

Thanks you're right - I corrected mysely (edited alreaedy)

His father - the politician - has already appeared at the police station. It was on TV3 Thai TV morning show. They are Pheu Thai party.

Does this upend the Thai business model of insisting a foreign company must have a local Thai partner to do business in Thailand? So many foreign brands have been burned in the past through failed partnerships (think Carlesberg Beer among others). If a global brand no longer needs a local Thai partner (or 'Thai franchisee with nationwide marketing rights and profit sharing'), then that's huge news... right? Or am I reading too much into the court ruling (if so, why so?).

The thing that I really wonder is whether the PooYais that let Thaksin come back on the same day that his party (eventually) formed the coalition government still think all is ok and their 'plan' worked. "Is everything still going to their plan?" By 'their' I mean the unholy trinity of oligarchs-amart-military/royalists. What did they hope to gain through this? What did they gain? Was it all just to form a coalition with his party so they could still govern and access the power/money? Are they ok with his increasing over-reach? Will they try to shut him down (again) - or is this Thaksin big-footing 'part of their big plan?' Who knows. Yes, his daughter is a puppet - that's obvious - but interesting fun-fact: she was just named one of the World Economic Forum's 'Young Global Leaders 2025' - are they just deluded, or was there some strategic reason they included her name? https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3004517/world-economic-forum-names-three-thais-as-young-global-leaders

The usual tourist trope websites claim 'rainy season' in Thailand is May - October. In fact we, all know each region of the country can have variations - like the south (Phuket, Samui and even Koh Chang during December peak season where it can rain heavy at times in December). But even Bangkok has seen rain and high humidity continuing on into 2nd week of December during last 5-10 years. It used to stop in first week of November 20 years ago - but not any more.

I can't understand why the Thai national government needs to build such large structures for its government offices, when it has such a comparitively small economy and tax base. For example, look at the comparison of similar government office structures between Thailand and the UK. The UK is a member of the G7 - which a massive budget and infrastructure compared to Thailand. Audit offices UK Thai (artist conception of 38 floor Audit Office) Budget office (UK) Budget 'Bureau' Thailand (also around 38 floors) I mean, I can 'guess' why such big "public" infratructure projects are 'needed' (maybe they are needed, but both seem grossly disproportional to the number of staff and work that would go on there. And the amount of spending required from such a relatively small tax base raises Qs)

Last night's rain in Bangkok (15th) was phenomenal for this time of year. It was a lightning and thunder show that was sustained for at least 20 minutes (heavy). I've never seen a Bangkok deluge like that in April - it was like October. Flooded streets, some localized power cuts,

The Soi Thanyia hostess bars certainly were restricted to Japanese in the 2000s. Secruity present. There were many Japanese offices in that area too. Maybe it's changed since then. Barbican bar/restaurant was the only pull for me into that area back then - it closed aruond 2005 I think. The whole Silom area is boring in general these days. A shadow of itself from the 90's and early 2000s. Patpong? Had to try to remember that name and can't remember any of the go-go bars (King's something) - in more recent times, the rest of the area tended to cater to LGBTQ and still seems to. Except for shopping and international schools/hospitals. Look at how Bangkok One complex struggles for commercial patrons, as an example.

Outside probably. They (hostesses) usually stand outside waving at the Jap guys as they walk past, and shout a few words in Japanese.

Mazda SUV CX-5 S is a great car to drive. Mine has 2.5 L petrol. Hard to find in Thailand now. Biggest engine they have now seems to be 2.2. They are pricey though, as they are assembled in Malaysia and not Thailand. Not sure if duty or what the reason but you can pay 1.6 - 1.7 million baht for top of the line. You could import one from Japan - shipping is remarkably cheap - but Thai duty is not. Japan-made usually better IMO (but with Japanese language gauges). You may also like the MG SUVs made in China - I think they have EV options too. Similar look to the Mazda CX-5 but cheaper. End of the day, how the car feels when driving is at the top of my list. That's why I bought the CX-5. A bit older now. But read the reviews for newest models before you take the leap on any car and definitely test drive first.

I fondly remember the Barbican Bar/Restaurant on Soi Thaniya. It was great. A refuge from all the Japanese-only bars on the Soi. I guess the vicitm worked as a hostess in one of thos places. Dunno if they went out with the clients on Soi Thaniya, or were just Japanese-style hostess bars (pay for many drinks and talk to pretty girls at your table). The Thai guy wouldn't have been a client. Maybe a street vender.

It's probably why he's so keen on Canada and Greenland.

I thought I read that they released his blood work this time. Wouldn't that include an FBS?

What's with the keystone secret service and VIP security cops in the United States? Are they still going to blame it on DEI?

You're correct! No, it wasn't. It was a cowardly attempt to burn to death a man, his wife and their children while they slept in their beds.

I just completed this quiz. My Score 30/100 My Time 246 seconds  

The big unanswered question is whether Thai Immigration Officers can pull up at full list of where we've been stayling/living - and find any gaps in that record - upon presenting our Passports when exiting the Kingdom. Does anyone (honestly) know whether an Immigration Officer has all those details at his/her fingertips before stamping your exit? Like propbably most others, I've never been asked to show a TM30 or hotel bill by an IO upon leaving.

These 'zero-dollar' Chinese tours were going on before the Covid shut down. They were complaining then and the government said they'd solved the issue back then. So why is it an issue again? I remember the news reports explaining the tour group would be picked up at the airport by a chartered bus, driven to their budget hotel - where they would eat breakfast each morning, then on the bus to see some Bangkok sights, before returing to the same budget hotel for lunch, then on the bus again probably to some Chinese-owned factory showroom (gems or whatever), then back to the hotel for dinner. Then back to airport and back to China - a week of eating every meal in the same restaurant.

WTAF is it with Americans and their anti-mask brigade? During Covid it seemed this backlash was almost unique to USA. While I'm at it, and I admit off-topic. why do so many retired Americans flock to Chiang Mai and other parts of the North? Is there some kind of right-wing cult colony up there? Sort of "The Boys From Boise"?

Come on. That's the COVID-19 period, early 2021 to 2022 You're ignoring the recovery period which is clearly illustrated there.

US author Chris Hedges wrote two books on the social and moral decline of America - one before Trump's first term and a second during it (I think). "Empire of Illusion" (first one) and "America: The Farewell Tour" - that one scored 4.6 out of 5 stars by 1,200+ readers. Both are pretty grim reading but very recognizable in what he writes about the country and its societal decline. As I say, he wrote both of these long before the current craziness. But they still resonate with today.

They wear them because it's hygenic or they have a sore throat/cough. Pretty obvious isn't it? Oh, but you didn't include those options in your cynical "poll". I always wear one on the Skytrain and MRT when it's crowded. On the airplane too (unless seated with family). I'm not scared - it's just common sense. Do you wear a seatbelt when driving? Should we have a poll?

It's actually very strange. She's been sentenced, right? Her nationality isn't mentioned either, though it is assumed she's Thai. But the photo could possibly suggest she's speaking to an interpreter? And why hide her face? Weird.

I think the country is in worse troubles than 1997. Household debt is at (possibly) an all time high. Forget Thaksin - yesterday's man anyway - and he's only stating the obvious. The country has been dragged down by two decades of old-money families who work only for the enrichment of their small circles. It's pretty clear that only a handful of oligarchs own all the retail, property development, alcohol and agrifood businesses. Anyone who's lived here even just a couple of years can easily see that the prices in supermarkets, convenience stores, etc., are always the same - regardless of where they shop. But the lack of industrial or economic development is the real killer for the country and has left most people poor. Building more condos or hotels is not 'economic development'. Earning under 10,000 baht a month, as so many do - if they're lucky enough to have a 'regular economy' job - means they'll always be poor and likely in debt. The Poo-Yai, Poo-Noi system and the pathetic state education system are the root problems - at least they need to start there - they need to start somewhere. The Future Forward party is the movement Thai voters chose, only to have the old money types disenfranchise the majority once again.