KhnomKhnom

L.A. area docks are owned by Arabs.

You are dreaming about a place, a nation, that does not exist... not Thailand, not Cambodia, not Bali, not Columbia, etc.

Every nation limits immigration in and controls who can work....every heard of an American green card, they made a movie about it.

In Thailand the laws are definitely present and are black and white regarding work permits and regarding who and how foreign people can LIVE in Thailand... you rejected all the options except the Thai Elite Card or the questionable/troubling/illegal complicated idea of living here somehow within or outside the rules.. makes you a dreamer in my book, sorry.

Every foreigner here lives to some degree in the danger of attracting too much attention to himself, especially getting some Thai angry with him, which leads to a police report or some other kind of official complaint. At that point, all the stuff a person thinks he is sliding by with, come down upon him with large teeth. Someone may not have a drivers license, may just not report 90 days, his dog bites a kid on a bike, etc etc etc, and that line of etc can be huge, but it only takes one infraction to surface and bang, you are in trouble.

That is the way it works here.

Max age is mandatory retirement age of 65.

Older People I talk to in BKK get hired same day as applying indicating desperate need for English teachers of any age.

Things to do in CM.......

Slowly die...... of boredom.

Take your Thai wife to Canada and here are the possible, and only, results......

-She hates it especially the winter, and flies home.

-Under the pressure of massive change, she becomes Westernized and no longer recognizable.

-Under the pressure of massive change, she goes insane, requiring famous Canadian hospitalization.

Thai women are like some flowers that thrive only in one atmosphere. Take them out of that and they wither one way or the other. You came here to get a THAI wife, not just any woman, and now she is in your clumsy hands. Stay with her here where you made the marriage deal.

This situation and the really dumb TV comments shows the complexity of the situation and the difficulty of arm-chair by-standers to have any good insight.

Here are some facts/assertions for you all.......

-polluted voting is not democracy.

-The Thaksins political machine was very near to owning and choking Thailand.

-The Thaksins had assembled a private army almost ready to march on the capital when Army stopped that.

-It is is very possible that USA does not have a SINGLE policy toward Thailand but that State has one or two, WH has a few, CIA at least one more, and usa economic forces, biz elite, other ideas and goals for using Thailand.

-Russel could have found that he could grab onto one of those policies and use it to take a secret payment/bribe from Thaksins; thinking that USA officials are totally clean is just foolish (CIA employees, for example, made tons of money flying drugs which was ok, if sheep dipped, with the CIA bosses). Remember that just in the CIA, there are several Directorates all with semi-autonomous activities, some even at cross purposes in the Agency.

-Contacting a deposed and convicted criminal, even if former PM, would be like a big nation going to a small country and talking with its Mafia heads as well as the govt. or go see Nixon after his disgraced departure WH. This Russel thing really smells but also is indicative of the onion layers at work here.

-All the moaning of self-appointed democracy "freedom fighters" typing on TV is good for a laugh, really silly. To assert full knowledge about Thailand situation and moan about democracy here is just so foolish it is off the foolish charts.

I can not wear contact lenses in BKK. Now I have cataract surgery and dont need them anyway.

Air in this whole country is bad, which is a real puzzle for a peninsula where air moves across lots. Peninsula Florida had nice winds coming across it all the time and lots of rain to help... seems Thailand should have this too, but no so.

Most all newer devices like that use some version of a lithium-ion polymer battery. Read Wikipedia for full definitions, etc.

This type battery was developed to reduce or eliminate the "memory" function of earlier rechargeable battery types. People still have a memory of these memory batteries and falsely apply that to the new style which asserts NO memory.

That indicates that there is little to no reason to run the battery down before recharging it. However, these batteries need to have circuits in their chargers to limit automatically over charge, and in the user end, the computer, a circuit to limit total discharge. I can not find out why.

Definitive info on these batteries is just not there, except every source does claim the exploding/inflamed quality of these items. One of their failure modes is explosion or spontaneous burning. Age seems to cause this, but I see no info about WHAT age becomes a danger.

My advice is to just leave the computer on the charger all the time and deal with whatever battery failure comes along... the cost is low and just replacing every now and then should be thought of as part of the cost of operating the computer.

Dan... enjoy your Thaiksins payoff. Russel is the new Robert Armstrong.

Sounds like State and WH and CIA differ about what to do with Thailand.

Looks like USA State Dept, WH, and CIA community have differing ideas about Thailand. Likely the Russel fellow was paid by the Thaksins.

You are dealing with at least two Thai services... mail (word post has been hijacked by Internet) and customs.

All incoming packages and some fat envelope mail is inspected by customs to see if a duty can be collected. That can take a month or more and even contact with you to explain what is in the package.

Then the item goes to Thai mail service which brings it to your given address. I have never heard of stealing at customs.

Gee, I have to wonder about the next person to rent that poisoned hotel room..... and the cleaning maid too.

Gosh honey, I am feeling sick all over... my hair is coming out by hands full.... my fingers burn........ Do you think it is the London air?

The debate about the possible effects of television on people has gone on for a long time. The people who make tv shows world over defend themselves and their violent shows by saying that "it hurts nothing and is what viewers want." There is big money to be made in those shows. Those same people also make money from tv commercials, which they claim are very effective in selling products, and thus effective in influencing viewer opinions and buying behavior.

It is, thus, an odd claim that the shows have no effect on viewers, but the commercials mixed in have big effects on viewers.

Personally, after studying this phenomena for over 30 years, I find that ALL of tv, Thai and otherwise, has the overall effect of encouraging a consumerist life style, a making more course daily life, and a general making more cheap the values on human life.

Consumerism is promoted, obviously, by the commercials, but the clothing, cars, and free activities of the show contents also promotes buying the latest thing and encourages the idea that all people live high like the people in the shows, or should live high--like in the mansions shown.

The factor of making life more course, cheapening and making simplistic, relates to the general devaluing of the pleasure of ordinary life events, even the smallest ones like hugging your child or watching a sunset. This factor occurs due to exaggerated drama in the shows.

With the many acts of violence (and, gasp, children yelling at their parents, etc.), the lesson is that life is cheap and also that one is always in danger--creating free-floating anxiety and fearful personalities.

All this makes a person wonder if the freedom of expression is worth the trade-offs for the distinctive negative effects. However, even modern television sets do have OFF buttons.

Just read posting #2 and you have the best answer.

Thai citizen Private Investigator, widely advertised on Web as using women as agents. The P.I. goes to your target, wife, etc, and gets money from her (likely your money you gave wife) in a deal to be paid off to turn in to you a positive report. She pays.

You get a positive, no problem, report and you pay P.I.

The P.I. gets money from her and from you and you know nothing new, nothing dependable. This process does have the effect of scaring the wife.

Added for you...

-realize that human beings are weak and make mistakes; come to terms with a single infidelity--terminate if serial or life-long.

-get an AIDS test for yourself.

-doubts will eat you up, and you need psychological counseling or at least a good friend to cry on for a while.

-all things change, says Buddha.

-always have a Thai citizen "front" for you for everything from ordering food to dealing with Thai government.

If you are able to speak Thai you can do anything yourself.

-kindly laugh WITH a Thai asking for too much money, like tuk tuks, and compliment him on his sound capitalist ways.

No need to laugh, I just walk away and tell him in Thai I am not banock.

-at least read about Buddhism so you can see it is a rational life philosophy with many good aspects and not superstitions.

Thai Buddhism is full of superstitions otherwise the Amulet market would be dead.

To the OP stay on your Cloud 7 as long as it last.

Buddha never taught to collect amulets.

How did he get the bullet casing?...... did he go outside and look for it?..... can anyone establish casing to bullet? Where is the bullet now?

Did the bullet come in from top down? Why is reporting so bad?

^{I am afraid that the International Frequency Registration Board in Geneva, Switzerland will not approve 146-148MHz for amateur radio use in Thailand.}

^{My understanding is that only 144-146 MHz may be used for 2-meter amateur band...}

^{Please correct me if I am wrong.}

^{I used to be a ham radio operator.}

To correct you as wrong, ITU allocates the whole 144-148 two meter band for Region 3 amateur radio use. Why speak when you are unsure, and also wrong?

Looks like a simple matter has turned into confusion and bad logic.

1. Radio waves (and TV) in frequencies of about 150MHz and below can travel great distances, and certainly over national borders. This situation is then ripe for what is called "harmonizing" the laws and allocations within a region. In this case, harmonizing and allocating the same bands for the same service to all the nations in a geographic area makes good sense. South East Asia (SEA) makes for a good geographic area to include Burma, Thailand, LaoPDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Other nations are some distance from SEA and less susceptible to cross-border conflicting use. Thailand has also the opportunity to lead ASEAN nations in radio allocation harmonizing, too.

Specifics:

a. the 6 meter band, 50-54MHz, is internationally allocated for amateur radio use by international treaties and UN directives. Radio operators in neighboring SEA nations have full permission to use this band. That means that their signals may legally interfere with any Thailand military use, and neighbors can legally listen to the military transmissions. This fact significantly compromises any military uses of this band for any purposes. Immediately adjacent bands are open for military use and are outside of this fact. Thus, the military's hold on this band is illogical and potentially dangerous due to cross-border legal interference. The resistance of the Thai military to allowing harmonizing of this band puts its own operations in jeopardy. Note that amateur radio operators wish to communicate with other such operators in other nations, so there is no interference to other uses or services; it is amateur-to-amateur operations only.

b. the 2 meter band, 144 to 148 MHz, is allocated in full by the ITU to amateur radio in SEA. To date, some Thai forces have limited this band to half, with no clear need nor usage made of the upper half of this amateur radio band. Again, near borders, signals in this band can travel legally from Thailand neighbors into Thailand disrupting whatever use is made. It is illogical and potentially dangerous to use this band for anything except amateur radio. Note that amateur radio operators wish to communicate with other such operators in other nations, so there is no interference to other uses or services.

c. the allocation table at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_frequency_allocations, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) chart, shows other bands cut short, truncated, or denied only for Thailand. The reasons for these banned bands remain unexplained and appear illogical on the same grounds as established above.

2. Reports indicate that the military signals NEVER appear on the 6 meter band and NEVER on the upper half of the 2 meter band. Modern military communications utilize satellites and microwave methods which are more secure and are in line with other modern militaries of other nations. Any modern communications specialist would laugh at anyone suggesting using 6 meters as secure. Military grade equipment for this band has not likely been made for thirty years. The same lack of use and obsolete possible use of the lower frequency bands (such as 160 or 80 meters) suffer the same situation regarding the military.

3. Thailand restrictions on amateur radio bands appear a violation of international law, treaties, and the ITU agreements. Further, by failing to harmonize SEA frequency allocations, the whole region may suffer.

4. These restrictions only within Thailand cram nearly 300,000 licensed amateur radio operators into only HALFof one band that has effective space for less than a hundred communication channels at any one time. These licensees are by vast majority Thai citizens, often enthusiastic young people, trying to learn and enjoy their rightful allocations. Amateur radio operators are self-taught in electronics and computers, conduct advanced learning/cutting edge experiments, and use the amateur bands for self improvement. Thailand is sorely in need of a citizenry with high technical skills; amateur radio is one such area, and it all occurs at NO expense to the government. Amateur radio also contributes importantly to emergency communications (during the tsunami and the Bangkok floods, for example), again a free service to the citizens of the nation, costing the government nothing.

Thailand has more licensed amateur radio operators than all nations--including the USA and UK--except Japan. It is unfair and counterproductive for a highly educated citizen body to be so limited by restrictive allocations that are arguably obsolete and even dangerous. The NBTC has issued grounds for a change for the better; rumors say that the Thai military are stopping these improvements.

He must be a happy man to be able to love so deeply and enjoy helping those close to him.

One is a victim only by choice; one is happy only by choice.

How to adapt and live happily in Thailand......

-when angry, punch a pillow in private, or learn better anger control.

-love your partner, wife, etc. for themselves, not as you wish them to be.

-always have a Thai citizen "front" for you for everything from ordering food to dealing with Thai government.

-never expect a Thai to follow your orders to the letter and do not give more than one request at a time.

-kindly laugh WITH a Thai asking for too much money, like tuk tuks, and compliment him on his sound capitalist ways.

-at least read about Buddhism so you can see it is a rational life philosophy with many good aspects and not superstitions.

-realize you live in Thailand primarily TO RELAX... this is your central life goal here and main reason to reside here.

Add your favorite..........................

Answer is ......... avoid all human contact, wear a mask and gloves if going out in public, use a pitch converter to hide your voice and gender, use multiple layers of identity (your passport is the passport of the identity you created to hide the identity you used to have, example), and pay everything in cash--unmarked bills which you have touched only with gloves.

Your ostensible home door leads to several other locked unmarked doors, none of which you use. You use the floor hatch under the wardrobe that goes to a boobyhatched tunnel with multiple turn-offs.

Real answer,,,,,, stop worrying about it and RELAX.

How to adapt and live happily in Thailand......

-when angry, punch a pillow in private, or learn better anger control.

-love your partner, wife, etc. for themselves, not as you wish them to be.

-always have a Thai citizen "front" for you for everything from ordering food to dealing with Thai government.

-never expect a Thai to follow your orders to the letter and do not give more than one request at a time.

-kindly laugh WITH a Thai asking for too much money, like tuk tuks, and compliment him on his sound capitalist ways.

-at least read about Buddhism so you can see it is a rational life philosophy with many good aspects and not superstitions.

-realize you live in Thailand primarily TO RELAX... this is your central life goal here and main reason to reside here.

Add your favorite.........................

Thankfully Facebook shows up to me as something I might know and most certainly will never sign up with. If people can't stay in touch with me because I'm not on Facebook then that there is it's best service for weeding out those who are unworthy of being in touch with in the first place.

Royalty amongst us !

Have found old lost friends from 40 years back and half way around the world ....

Lost friends find me by my keeping the same email address for life and using my real name as my email address. Simple.

Loony rant. THE CARD EXPIRED... even you will someday and with the silly way you think, it likely will be sooner rather than later.

I still am Amazed at the foreigners who arrive thinking they do not need a Thai citizen to "front" for them or even to do the asking for what the foreigner wants. So many have never heard of assimilation, adaption, and "to get along, go along." So many foreigners bring to Thailand, where it never belonged, the Westernized ideas of "By Gawd, I Have Rights" important fellow that I am.

If you want to practice yoga in a group, do not charge money; just gather in a place and if someone of the group offers advice about practice, he is just talking to friends, and that does not require a work permit.

I strongly advise firmly and irretrievably Westernized mind-sets to holiday here but never take up residence. Thailand does not want you, will never change to accommodate you, and does not care at all for your puny little cash you spend to keep yourself alive here. Adapt or ............... I guess die early of high blood pressure.

Having mostly adapted, I can comfortably sign...