lvr181

In my humble opinion Thai market has got over saturated with cars thanks to the government scheme of reimbursing 100 K Baht to the first car buyers. And as it was said above people buy other brands. Nissan has seen a boost in their sales with Almera, now Juke and Teana. Toyota did well with new eco Yaris. Now Nissan and Ford come with cheaper SUVs that of course will take the SUVs market's share from Honda and Toyota.

The car tax rebate scheme wasn't such a bad idea to help after the flooding although there will be a slump afterwards but as always they seem to find a way to mess things up. It was open to fraud from the start with people who already had cars using someone else's name. In the UK, US and probably others as well it wasn't for first time buyers but needed you to exchange an old car for the new one to get the rebate. In the UK it had to be over 10 years old. Doing it this way means you don't end up with more cars just newer more efficient ones and it's far more difficult to cheat.

Thais don't want to be "advised" by farangs! Doing the new car scheme the way of the UK for example, does not allow certain persons to cheat and have a personal financial gain!

It does not matter whether it makes economic sense or not it's about "what's in it for me". That is why these ideas are called schemes, car, rice, tablets, and rubber. It is a money making scenario for some politicians and their cronies!

Hold the course General, but maybe turn on some of the Foreign TV so I can watch Golf and others can watch what they call "Football".

Jerry

"Football"? Is that the game where players are trained to take a fall in order to get a penalty? And Umpires are trained not to recognise reality?

Many "football" codes, just wanted to make sure I know what code of "football" you are talking about.

And back to the topic, many western democracy observers, looking through rose colored spectacles would sacrifice corruption (and some lives) in order to see their beloved "democracy" at work. Go figure!

Criticism is okay if it comes with viable alternatives, otherwise SHUT UP!

Time will tell, where this coup is heading. Some observers (and forum posters) will be right and some will be wrong, but until it's confirmed then lets wait with hope. At the end of the day, Thai people will get what they deserve at a free election. And they don't care what farangs think.

Edited for spelling mistake - no change to content

I have worked extensively with the Thai Army, Air Force and Navy (Marines) off and on since 1999.

The Marines are FAR and AWAY more professional than the Army (they actually take their jobs seriously), so there might actually be some hope here.

Many of them (Marines) have done tours with the UN to Sudan & almost every one of them have done a tour in Southern Thailand.

I always see them taking their jobs quite seriously. Every Army base I've been to, well, they are all sitting around picking their noses.

Oh yeah, somebody mentioned seeing Humvee's (HMMWV - High Mobility Multi-purpose Vehicle)......The Navy doesn't have any of those trucks. The Marines have about 75 of them though & every one of them is in top condition.

I enjoyed working with the Marines because they actually give a hoot about their jobs.

I hope your observations about the Marines are right - being an ex-serviceman (farang) it is good that there are some professionals within their Armed Forces.

They are still controlled and responsible to the Army Chief, Prayuth.

I wonder if Prayuth has the will and determination to shake up the Police Force and get rid of their rampant corruption? Time will tell and one can only hope.

Anyone think National Peace and Order Maintaining Council, has a similar ring to Burma's State Peace and Development Council?

More like the "Ministry of Silly Walks". Guess you know your Monty Python?

More like the Ministry of Frontal Labotomies and having a serious fascist tendency coupled with group-think.

Life has taught me it is better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal labotomy!

My god. For years myself and others have been saying that the Pattaya " police" force is an odious nest of vipers whose sole function is to strip money from people. Now apparently the military sees things the same way. Taking over the police station, and have the chief of police who probably paid 100 million baht for the position, on the run in Bangkok is simply funnier than hell. I never believed in karma before, but if things keep up this way I may start....

Karma is the way of Buddhists. And that should give you a clue as to the way Thai people think.

Anyone know where there is up to date info on this curfew and the current situation? Wondering if it will still be in place tonight?

Today I spoke to my friend in a village outside of Lampang. The army there is applying a daytime curfew as well. Nobody is allowed to leave their village. So they can't travel 20 km to Lampang to go shopping, visit a market, or do any banking. What is that all about? At first I supported what the army was doing but they have now gone beyond what is reasonable and I feel strongly they need to stop the curfew

Stopping the curfew is not likely. The Army (in "enemy" territory now?) is concerned about a reds uprising. But perhaps a better approach for those villagers would be to have some soldiers accompany them to the markets etc in order to carry out their daily living activities?

To piss people off is to invite trouble.

There have been some posts on Thai social media re: the curfew times possibly being modified to Midnight to 04:00, has anyone seen or heard anything official?

Do you really believe social media ahead of officialdom (who calls the tune)?

The near anonymity of social media allows any one to say anything whether it is true or not.

As Rod Stewart would say "we are sailing, we are sailing" BUT to where? Police Stations don't float very well.

Hi everyone. I have been viewing Thai Visa for a few years now but am new to posting comments, so hello to everyone

My name is Jay and have been living in Thailand for 3 years now.

I am quite ignorant to how this works, in terms of the army taking control. Who controls the army? I always believed that a governent decides what the army can do, so how can the army seize power of government? Who gives them permission?

Cheers

Thailand does not have a western style democracy.

Pay short time and make sure she/she is still there at 10PM.

Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools - Douglas Bader

Always prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

Common sense really. It's not rocket science.

Perhaps now they can make the condoms a bit larger.

For dick heads?

I leave the paying and tipping up to my wife. She normally leaves a tip if the service has been OK. She normally gives the tip to the waiter/ess separately from the bill. If you leave a tip in the folder or leave change it should be shared by all staff. If you just want to tip just your waitress give it to them in their hand separately.

I gave a tip to a waitress, in her hand, and when leaving I noticed it had gone into the "staff" tip box. Maybe some places have a policy that all tips are for the sharing around among staff.

This was always going to happen. Thaksin did not cede a single thing to the protests : even the dissolving of Parliament was intended to get them a fresh mandate to justify ignoring everybody. Everything is due to his ego and stubbornness not to back down to anybody.

We can only hope now that the army will force some politcal reform which prevent such corruption as we have seen from Pheu Thai and the police - then hold full and free elections as soon as possible. Prayuth seems to be a good man : I suppose now we are going to find out for sure if he is or not.

As a farang, this move makes me more confident in the future of Thailand, not less.

"We can only hope now that the army will force some politcal reform which prevent such corruption as we have seen from Pheu Thai and the police - then hold full and free elections as soon as possible"

And when full and free elections are held, who do you think will win (again)?

If and when full and free elections are held, then Thai people will get the Government they deserve! Whether their Government is corrupt or not.

Edit - spelling correction

. IMO, there is only one man who can effectively tell the paid protestors on both sides that they are harming their country.

If HE can will the protagonists allow the people to hear his message?

Governmental steps in Thailand.....

1. There is a set of piggies at the feeding trough

2. The piggies start to get greedy, and start knocking the feeding trough around.

3. This will start to affect the money flow to the military from their own operations

4. A coup occurs, and the piggies are thrown out on their ear.

5. The military fumbles around for a few months doing a very poor job

6. New piggies show up with mountains of cash, and vote buy their way to victory in the next " election"

7. The new government has to be careful of the military, so it hands them a lot of cash for stupid things

like blimps, phony bomb detectors, etc..... Now maybe a submarine is on the way ???

Not really sure how to break this cycle, or maybe it never will be broken as long as the Thai people accept

this rather poor from of governance. This sure looks like a coup to me, the military spinning it as

" not a coup" in order to avoid sanctions is looking pretty weak at this point. When Yingluck flees the

country in a private jet, then we will know the power transfer is complete......

Unfortunately I do not think that the majority of Thai people are capable of seeing choices other than those offered to them by, those vested interests in holding power. They are told what to do, how to vote, paid to vote because they are not educated to question or reason why. Theirs has long been a "feudal" society from which they have not completely broken away from. But not prepared/capable to learn from other countries, western or not. Sad really.

From one earlier post: "Martial Law won't resolve the ongoing political crisis, it only delays the day of reckoning..."

Maybe the day of reckoning will be delayed but there is a better chance of it being peaceful than the carry on with people, on both sides of the political spectrum, being myopic or having tunnel vision and acting like hotheads at the moment!

Only Thai people can solve this and in the end they will get the Government they deserve, regardless of what well intentioned farangs may say, because they don't care what farangs think. A pity really.

Exactly my opinion is based on the fact that the Thai military has been incredibly "successful" in establishing peace in the far south with something like 5000 people killed for more than a decade now - they seem really qualified to try the same now all over Thailand!

5000? I thought it was in the hundreds?

Certainly there has been no real action to contain or reduce the violence in the south - a lack of political will? Or "mai pen rai"?

Martial law should never be invoked under any situation, an army that works against the people and becomes a police force completely misses the point they are meant to be the guardians of the country against outside forces, their role is to HELP Thai people not to fight against any of them.

The army have done NOTHING in the past few months and have been utterly ineffective in trying to stop violent attacks, let's see if they even have the balls to go and remove the few guards and the insane monk who have managed to hold onto a gigantic government complex for about 6 months. They have been getting destroyed in the south for years and were really outrageously stupid in 2010 as well.

I would have thought it was the Police job to maintain internal law and order. BUT they were incapable (for whatever reason) and now the Army has to try to do it.

So, have we answered the original question well enough for you non-Americans?

If I could wade thru some of the "crap" spoken/or mud slinging, I guess there could be an answer (but not necessarily valid) to the question.

My two hobbies...............

And I like to keep on top of my hobbies as well!

seems tricky, requiring a lot of concentration to keep the teeth in the right place.

My teeth are not the problem, it is the "cauliflower" ears developing that is the problem.

Rugby and Rugby League players/followers would understand "cauliflower" ears.

Anyway I need some one to sort this issue, I guess I have to do something on Tuesday as we will be partying like legends on Sunday and Monday will be a write off.

First thing to do is get your shit together and work on your legal requirements. You can party at any time but not so easy in the "monkey cage".

People are trying to help you and you carry on about partying first!

The whole Americans & guns act, probably from stupid British people or ignorant (ex-criminal related) Australians. If it wasn't for the British greed to rule the world, America would be a completely different place. But no, England & it's history to conquer & destroy everything.

But given if no English, no Romans...America would be right where it's at now...just a matter of perspective.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Ignorance is bliss.

Therefore, you are blissful.

My two hobbies...............

And I like to keep on top of my hobbies as well!

Also I have a full head of hair at 60 yrs. old and a Harley-Davidson tattoo.

A full head of hair? Your hormones can be used for growing hair OR other more pleasurable pursuits!

Harley-Davidson, turning petrol into noise for over 100 years!