18 minutes ago, 1sickpuppy said:

Same as driving anywhere in the world, western countries are a lot worse. lots of Mr Ma Goos, i have lived here 23 years, no problem, in western countries been run over by idiots, so why people like to bash Thais, if it is so bad go home

Oh no, not that old chestnut again.  "If you don't like it, go home".  It is such an infantile response to any poster's criticism and indicates an absence of any reasonable and informed reply.  

I have driven in Europe for 50 years and I can assure you that driving standards in western countries are infinitely better and the roads much safer than in Thailand.  But then Europe does have proper driving tests and  proper police forces which actually enforce the traffic laws. As a result, road accidents and deaths are a fraction of Thailand's, which are horrific and an absolute disgrace.

On 8/4/2014 at 5:05 AM, kjhbigv said:

"One girl is getting 50,000"....don't believe a word of it!

A neighbour in our village in Mae Wong told my wife that her American, boyfriend,who visited her twice a year, paid her 60000 baht per month, which made my wife dissatisfied with her own generous allowance.

When I met up with the American boyfriend over a coffee during his next visit, he explained that he might not be back again, as he thought his girlfriend was cheating on him, which meant that she would lose his 5000 baht month allowance (or 60000 baht per YEAR .   These girls often love to boast about how much their farang boyfriends pay them, as it raises their status in the eyes of their friends and neighbours, although their living conditions often demonstrate that their actual status has not in fact gone up too much at all.

Even those girls who end up marrying their boyfriends often still like to boast about how much their monthly allowance is and/or how much gold they have been given.  Sometimes, it does indeed seem as if the quality of the relationship comes as a second best to the material benefits.

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Unless a deal is done in which the UK doesn't leave the single market and/or customs union.

 

The Irish government, whilst usually fairly sensible, are asking for a written guarantee that can't be given as no one knows if a deal will be reached and what that deal will look like. A large section of the NI people won't accept NI being treated differently to the rest of the UK. 

 

The devil is always in the detail! And the complexities we're now seeing were gleefully glossed over by the muppets who implied leaving would be easy and vast some of money would be instantly available for the NHS etc. Only they lied.

 

The sensible thing would be, now real actual facts around what leaving means in reality are known by the public, would be to have an election or referendum fought on withdrawing Article 50 and remaining in the EU. And no, the previous Brexit referendum wasn't a once in a life time, one off only, never to be discussed again vote as some like to pretend.

And nor would the next referendum  be universally accepted.   However, the third ........or fourth one......................

At the risk of appearing a hopeless cynic, am I the only one to believe that it is unlikely to turn out that the former security chief to Mugabe, (Mnangagwa), will be much better or different than his predecessor in the long run? Somehow, I think that the people of Zimbabwe are going to be gradually disillusioned with their new leader when they see very little change in the economy and in the 90% unemployment rate, but I really hope that my cynicism, based on results in other African countries in the past, is unfounded.

7 hours ago, mikebell said:

What can I buy with my UK state pension frozen for the last ten years?

I could have written an identical question, without changing a single word.

Some EU members expressed some amusement at Theresa May's plight after calling an admittedly unnecessary election in the UK and coming through with a poor result for her party. 

Angela Merkel now finds herself in a somewhat similar position following the necessary election in Germany but perhaps it is not the time for anyone to gloat over her predicament, even though many could see what would happen after her disastrous immigration policy since 2015.

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

My health will decide whether I carry on in Cabinet: Prawit

By The Nation

Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said on Tuesday that whether he would continue to work in the Cabinet following the upcoming reshuffle by the prime minister was dependent on his health.

 

Here's hoping then!

On 11/13/2017 at 7:45 PM, Grouse said:

You're sounding increasingly worried Han. You should be, there won't be a happy ending

You are wrong!  There will be a reasonably satisfactory ending for both sides, as it is in each side's interest to find one.

No doubt, even when such a solution is found, you will still claim it as one which supports your long-held point of view.

The group of German companies which recently called for the UK to remain in the EU, which is of course a non-starter, would surely prefer that a good trading relationship with the UK remains after Brexit, rather than a non-deal and I am sure that companies in many other EU countries feel the same way. Obviously, those companies will not be making the final decisions on the trade agreements, but they will try to exercise some influence on their leaders, some of whom (notably Merkel and even Macron) are not quite in the strong positions of power that they were a few weeks ago.

Important disputes with Poland, for example,  demonstrate that the 27 members are not quite "as one" as is often suggested. There is still a possibility that the UK will prove to be not alone in wanting to leave the club, although others may not be able to afford the divorce bill. 

11 hours ago, steven100 said:

Good job Khun Prayuth Chan O Cha,  he is doing what is best for the country and it's people.

He has actioned the urgent issues of the recent flooding, also the problematic health scheme, he has fast tracked projects such as the HSRP high speed rail project, the northern thailand highway expansion and many others.

Steven100 need not bother to give his name when posting, as we can all tell it is him from the sycophantic nature of his comments. However, we do realize that the publishing of his name is of course as automatic as his Junta-loving responses, whatever the nature of the topic might be.

3 hours ago, OldSiamHand said:

what in god's name are you babbling on about??

I thought that the general message was quite clear.

6 hours ago, overherebc said:

Ideal place to put the big signs would be on the telegraph poles at X roads to restrict or block motorists line of sight when turning making sure you can't see the scooters coming from the right or left on the wrong side of the road.

For goodness sake, don't give them ideas!

7 hours ago, wgdanson said:

So we shall ALL get text messages saying not to smoke on the beach. How about texts saying DRIVE ON THE LEFT, DO NOT SPEED, WEAR HELMETS, etc etc. 

You don't seem to realize that they have to have priorities and, well, smoking on the beach is.........................

Actually, all they need to have done is to ensure that anyone (Thai or tourist)  who litters on the beach (or elswhere)  is fined (say) 2000 baht and then the whole litter problem, and not just the ridiculously small cigarette butt element, would be solved in no time.  What on earth will this stupid law do to solve the litter problem on the beach or elsewhere?  As a non-smoker myself, this is stupidity at its worst.  Tents on the beaches for smokers indeed!  Thailand seems intent on killing off its tourist industry and, as previous posters have pointed out, the first prosecution with a large fine or even imprisonment of a tourist will speed up its death. Foreign news media will have a heyday, particularly in their cartoon sections.

16 hours ago, Moti24 said:

"Out of all suspects arrested, 45 percent were from the UK, 24 percent from the USA, 24 percent from Germany, 18 percent from France and 8 percent Switzerland.  

 

This is a developing news story…."

 

Can't develop much further, it's already on 119%!

Were the statistics in the report simply the result of a typo or a reflection of the Thai education system?

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Switzerland has very high gun possession. Yet we don't hear of mass shootings and killings there.

 

It's isn't the guns per se. It's far greater than that. Drugs, films and computer games glorifying violence, guns and murder, and lack of mental health care. The world is changing at an ever increasing rate. Not all humans can deal well with that complexity and uncertainty. 

Banning guns, knives and any weapons will be as effective as banning drugs. Seek new solutions.

"seek new solutions".  You mean like guns that do not work?   That could do it!

8 hours ago, steven100 said:

So because I prefer a government that is serious about economic development and not fraudulent rice schemes then you feel a need to criticize me.

My opinion is not the same as yours   !!!!!!!!!!!!!     so what  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so leave Thailand if you don't like it's rules .   !!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

and stop whinging ..... 

OMG, Steven, how many times are you going to use that old chestnut?  It seems more and more that you totally agree with the PM that the rest of us are not only denied the opportunity to question them or even express a reasonable opinion on here without you suggesting that we "go home".  In a democracy, if your preferred party does not win the election, would you suggest that the people who voted for the opposition should leave the country if they do not like it? 

In practice, they stay and hope that things will change and become better. 

You should just allow people on here to have their say, even when you do not agree with them, without feeling the need to tell them to "go home".  You may not be aware, but it is something called "free speech", admittedly not too common over here.

I would pay taxes to see the people buried who  were responsible for all this hideous wiring. 

Does any electrician here have any pride in his work?   

2 hours ago, Just Weird said:

You have frequently mentioned everything that you consider the rest of us should know about your situation here and you have my sympathy for that.  

 

There are many circumstances in which the RTP do serve and protect those that need help and it is daft to say there aren't but you're still saying that you wouldn't use the services of the police in a situation that called for it?

When my ex-wife's nearly new motor cycle was stolen by a (supposed) friend of hers, she reported it to the police, giving them a copy of the girl's ID card and her address, but they refused to do anything until she paid them an initial 5000 bahts for their trouble.  By the time they found her at that address, she had sold the bike, with no documents,  for 34000 bahts LESS than the bike cost.  

5 hours ago, steven100 said:

Very good priority.  Khun Prayuth is addressing the serious issues as priority, such as the flooding in the north, and now the poor.

This government is doing the correct things with Thailand and it is focused on continued economic stability.

Of coarse there are the farang expats who are not happy with Thailand and the Junta's progress, however they will whinge and whine all day long so you can never please some folks.  It must be sad living in a place you don't like or don't like the way it's governed.  Better to leave and go to Laos or somewhere you can be happy.

I agree!  The PM is wonderful, the Government and all its officials are competent and incorruptible, the police force is the best in the world, the road accident figures are improving and the poor are getting richer with household debt subsiding and exports and the general economy are beyond the wildest expectations.  In short, everything in the garden is rosy and the people are so so happy.  There, are you happy now, Steven?

Best way to go for up to 6 month cell service?

Be a farang ex-pat and commit a petty crime.  That should give you at least 6 months.  

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

Interesting!

 

I do find Marks & Spencer's ones much comfortable than Levis.

It is surprising, Grouse, that someone as knowledgeable as you, cannot spell, although I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was a rare moment of humour on your part, when, for some inexplicable reason, your usual condescending manner deserted you.  

On 10/19/2017 at 11:28 PM, worgeordie said:

"If they fail to report them without any ill intention, they would not be subject to any punishment, "he said.

there's a loophole if ever i saw one, no ill intention.it was an honest mistake.

regards worgeordie

Well, Worgeordie, you beat me to it, almost word for word.

We can hear it now  "Sorry, I declared my ownership of 5 houses in Bangkok, but completely forgot about the other 15. Sorry, just an honest mistake!".

19 hours ago, saakura said:

OMG, lots of very bitter posters just as expected, whenever there is any positive news about Thailand. However much you guys may wish for the event to be a grand failure, it will be a big success and as always, the tourists will keep coming and enjoy the experience. 

The trouble is that most of the "successes" are in fact merely forecasts, with very little follow up with any meaningful figures after the events.

Gosh, these academics are good!