eastcanje

Surprise surprise. You're in a third-world country. Next time ... and always ... ask or look for the price before ordering ... or otherwise gracefully pay up when the check-bin comes.

When visiting a bar for the first time, I always glance at the first bill in my check-bin to see what the price is.

At one bar in the Simon Complex in Walking Street, I saw that they charged me 180 Baht for a small Singha. I didn't comment, but decided that that would be the last beer I would buy in that bar!

One of the girls then came over and asked me if I was from India. I told her that I was from New York. She opined that I was from India, and kept questioning me. Not that it mattered to me, but I showed her a copy of my passport that I carry with me. Shortly after, I happened to notice that my bill had been altered...it was now 100 Baht. Apparently, some places have different prices on whether they want your business or not!

Publicus, I'm sorry to disagree with your discription of the county prosecutor as:

The fumbling bumbling Ferguson prosecutor who delivered the outdated and thus the wrong law to the grand jury about when police shoot to kill has just now released new transcripts of the grand jury proceedings that he says he hadn't known were still in his office.

Mr. McColloch achieved exactly what he set out to do! Besides this area of disagreement, thanks for your research and post.

I apologise for my volume of posts on this topic, and this will be my last on this thread, not because I've said all that can and should be said, but to stop annoying those with an obvious difference of opinion.

Check this link from The New York Times and it might give you some added insight: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/opinion/sunday/mark-bittman-is-it-bad-enough-yet.html?

Michael Brown was a justified shooting and the Grand Jury did the right thing. The Eric Garner case is a lot more questionable. Tying them together is a mistake as far as getting public support.

You say that the Michael Brown shooting was justified...did you follow the news in mainstream press before making your decision? Did you look at the photos of the "injuries" that Officer Wilson obtained in the "altercation" and compare them to his statements? Do you know that Michael Brown died 153 feet away from Wilson's vehicle?

Yes. Yes. Yes. I probably know more about the case than you do and the Ferguson Grand Jury made the correct decision considering the evidence and the law.

I'm happy to hear that you know so much about the case, Ulysses. So you do realize that the Ferguson Grand Jury was used by a clever county prosecutor to achieve the results he desired! Also, you are aware of the following:

Justice Antonin Scalia, in the 1992 Supreme Court case of United States v. Williams, explained what the role of a grand jury has been for hundreds of years.

It was not a " civil rights " protest, it was a demand for more than the 100 % FREEBIES

black people now collect from Caucasian hard working, tax paying citizens !

Let me guess...you wear a white sheet, a hood, and you burn crosses on people's properties, don't you?

Do some research, pal...see where the tax dollars go; mainly to rich folks (and, note, not wanting to be racist like some, I didn't pick on any particular racial or ethnic group) who can hire expensive tax attorneys, to use all the loopholes. They get tax breaks for their huge farms, businesses, etc. Do you know how much taxes G.E pays? If you pay U.S. taxes, and you actually do know those figures, that is what would upset you!

Warren Buffet, perhaps you have heard of him, complained about the U.S. tax structure because he pays a lower percentage of taxes on his income that his secretary does! Large companies pay very little taxes because they can afford the lawyers to take advantage of the tax laws! Who make the tax laws? I give you three guesses!

Foreign countries get billions of dollars of taxpayer money every year...for example, Israel alone, gets over two billion, every year!

And, sir, look at the photos of the protesters; many of them are obviously "Caucasian"; I suppose they too, are "looking to collect" ?

Here is a link that might give some insight to the problems with some police officers. It lists, briefly, some of the poeple who were killed by the police in 2014 (so far!):

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/12/12/3601771/people-police-killed-in-2014/

Michael Brown was a justified shooting and the Grand Jury did the right thing. The Eric Garner case is a lot more questionable. Tying them together is a mistake as far as getting public support.

You say that the Michael Brown shooting was justified...did you follow the news in mainstream press before making your decision? Did you look at the photos of the "injuries" that Officer Wilson obtained in the "altercation" and compare them to his statements? Do you know that Michael Brown died 153 feet away from Wilson's vehicle? Have you read of how Ferguson officials increased the city's revenue by actions similar to those which posters on this forum accuse the BIB? If the police in Ferguson harrassed and threatened members of the media who were obviously, members of the media, and were sure to report the harrassment, what do you think they were doing for years to the black residents?

FYI, I worked for years for a large city in north eastern U.S. and was privy to some inside information, not only about some police officers, but about some city administrators. It wasn't always pretty!

Also, regarding getting public support for the victims, obviously, you haven't been following the news...not only are there protests across the U.S., but there are protests internationally!

Sorry if I got too intense, but this is a serious problem that has gone on for far too long!

Garner didn't die as a result of the so called choke hold.

He died because he was 100 kilos overweight, asthmatic and resisting arrest.

There were at least two policemen trying to restrain him by lying on top of him, thus compressing his chest and restricting his ability to refill his lungs with air.

If it had been a true choke hold, he wouldn't have been able to repeatedly say..."I can't breathe".

If anything, it was a head lock.

Some posters on TV make multiple excuses for the police officers who kill or abuse citizens in the U.S., yet complain constantly about the BIB! Before you decide --- at least in what you say --- that the police in the U.S. are always justified, learn more about the situation. Open the following link in Google, or your browser, and learn a little more! Better yet, Google "Daily Kos" and read much more!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/11/1351100/

I heard someone say they thought insisting on giving the sample at the station would slow them down- not worth the trouble for them.

I'm not paying a damned fine to this corrupt system

I'd rather spend my night in jail.

But all things being equal, I'd prefer not to.

What's the best way to handle this?

Just my thoughts, but why doesn't everyone who is concerned about the BIB skewing the test results, or perhaps planting drugs on them, write a letter stating their concerns, sign just their first name, state their country of citizenship, and come together and retain a law firm to deliver the bundle to the Ministry of Tourism, with copies going to the Prime Minister and the Chief of Police? Perhaps with copies to the media.

Would you prefer waiting until some crooked cop planted something on you?

I'm good for some Baht to pay the law firm!

You better be prepared to declare war on all of South East Asia as all the surrounding countries are the real culprits.

That's true, obviously.

Seasonal burning is part of the agricultural cycle in organic farming, and it has been going on since prehistoric times.

The only solution is to let agro-business destroy family farming and impose their chemical intensive methods.

Smoke haze is a regional problem, not just local. In places like Sumatra and Borneo it is also related to land clearing for plantations, but here in Northern Thailand it is mostly done by farmers working small plots of land.

Growing up in the Caribbean, I remember the sugar cane fields were also burnt every season. The flames cleared the foliage which would have hampered free passage to harvest the sugar canes, got rid of rattlesnakes, scorpions and other creatures which might have attacked the harvesters, and supposedly, made the sugar content of the canes better.

We knew to close our windows when the fields were burning!

Admittedly, in those days, pollution and global warming were not the watchwords they are today.

Adrenaline kicks in after a vehicle pursuit and altercation.

Too bad the drunk chose to endanger all those lives when he chose to drive drunk and resist arrest.

What the drunk did doesn't matter! Absolutely no excuse for a policeman kicking a handcuffed man in the face. In most civilized countries the cop would be suspended without pay pending an investigation and probable criminal assault charges.

But here I imagine he will be back on active duty in a month or so. Very sad.

I agree it's DISGUSTING behavior by a cop. However, as someone who works in law enforcement in the U.S. I have to tell you that in the U.S. law enforcement officers kill people frequently and are frequently found to be not at fault (after a paid vacation during investigation) then sue for damages and to get their jobs back if they were dismissed. Look up the killing of Kelly Thomas. The only thing that brings down the death toll in the U.S. is mandated body cameras for cops (see Rialto, CA) which resulted in a massive drop in use of force incidents as well as an almost equal drop in complaints regarding police. The U.S. has a terrible problem with abuse by cop, and most jurys find - no matter how horrible the situation - in favor of the cop because we've all been raised to believe tha the are the good guys, wouldn't jeopardize their pensions to behave badly, etc. Seriously, check out the Kelly Thomas killing if you can stand to watch the video. It's unreal.

I agree with what you say, and there are many, many instances where police officers victimized citizens, besides physically hurting them. Anyone who thinks that cops are justified in assaulting citizens is burying his head in the sand!

And if the guy had killed a young child and her mother with his drink driving antics - would you all still be posting the same "OMG I can't belive the policeman did that" ? Or would you be saying he deserved it?

The only thing wrong there is that he should have been given that kick whilst he was resisting arrest, then it would have been absolutley fine. Either way a good shoeing was called for one way or another, the courts wouldn't stop him doing it again. Maybe he'll remember that kick next time he thinks about getting behind the wheel and driving like a nutter.

What total B.S.!

So this cop was justified in brutalizing someone who was unable to defend himself?

Big, brave hero!

I guess if you happened to drink too much one night, and a cop saw you staggering home, he would be justified in beating your axx so that you would remember to stay sober in future?

The world would be a lot better and safer without the muslim faith.

Why is that? There is good and bad in every group!

Aren't the Kurds muslims? Are they in the front lines, women as well as men, battling against ISIS?

No countries in the world need any extra government it just adds to costs , ask the EU ministers to cut expenses we all know that will never happen, they just spend then tax, I hope UKip get in power .

1) How is the money (paid by Britain) used?

2) I would assume that different member nations of the EU contribute different amounts...how is that decided?

They must have bombed them with a 1 ton Vegemite bombs, they died out of disgust of the taste

and the smell alone....

Seriously now, I wish they would also drop pigs' blood on the scum. They would then feel that they had become "unclean", and lose their dreams of going to heaven if killed in jihad!

I been there still there very lonely place but I still smile and carry on meet another Farang the other night he is there we had a good talk but so many people do not understand this sickness R I P Cobber hope you find Salvation

Suicide is often caused by severe depression, which is a real illness, and needs treatment. Here is an article which sheds some light on it, and gives advice on proceeding.

If you feel so sad that you think about suicide, please talk to your doctor.

http://www.wholehealthinsider.com/newsletter/

I just had to give up a whole 4 year relationship with a very hardworking and sincere lady because of her 2 kids attitudes to me. I was supporting the daughter at University and putting the son to school. The daughter just hates farangs and was unable to accept that her mother could stoop so low.

When she came home at weekends, the atmosphere was always terrible and she influenced her brother badly. He was OK during the week, but totally changed each weekend. I even rented a small apartment for her to weekend in, but she wouldn't clean it, was always pestering her mother for food and clothes etc. I provide her with a motor cycle etc. but she basically refused to acknowledge that I existed.

Eventually the situation was so bad that we agreed on a separation as I do not have the right to ask the mother to choose between me and her family. I helped her set up a business but her daughter refuses to hep at weekends, so now they are all surviving on what the mother earns selling street food. Proud woman and I loved her dearly, but sometimes you have to break away.

Sad situation, Rob...; my sympathies.

It just shows you the level of training of said 'pilots'. During the hours of circling they might as well have flown manually to destination and land, but without auto-navigation auto-land don't-touch-anything except for the brake release to exit the runway they felt uncomfortable landing anywhere but their home airstrip.

Perhaps you are right, BUT ...better safe than sorry!

Welcome to Thailand...you were given the normal Thai business practice...scamming is a normal way of doing business...in my experience...can not be too careful...they are expert and deception and conniving...

I would say this is not exclusive to Thailand. I was a consumer protection inspector in the U.S. and worked for two different jurisdictions (not simultaneously). I found that many businesses would do whatever they felt they could get away with.

Even though the businesses knew that we might catch and prosecute them, they tried to give themselves an extra edge...for example, the meat department manager of a large supermarket (and part of a large chain) who would have all the packages labelled with incorrect weights and prices on weekends, when my agency didn't work. Unfortunately for him, my boss got wind of it and sent me into the store on a Sunday. The man was in tears as he watched me document all the short weight packages.

In fact, a former Thai police officer who became a consumer protection inspector in New York City was shocked at some of the things he saw there!

Nothing wrong with clear, concise messages. I hope the other fella had a similar experience. When the Police gain some respect then Thailand will be a better place. Locals, Foreigners who live here and visitors who come here should respect a " code of conduct " of some sort. I don't think it's very clear to many- but there is always hope !

A few more " wannabe tough guys " given a good kicking by the Police is a good starting point. Apply it everywhere where lawlessness seems to prevail !

So you feel society would be better if police officers gave "...a good kicking" to any/all "wannabe tough guys"? What defines a "wannabe tough guys"...also, why should the police stop there? Why not give "a good kicking" to all the people leaving bars who apparently had too much to drink; how about the people just standing around/loitering/gossiping in some public place; the men who forgot to shave; anyone with body odor; jay-walkers; people wearing those ugly rubber shoes; people who walk three or four abreast on the sidewalks?

Perhaps you should make a comprehensive list of people who should get "a good kicking" from the police and distribute copies to all of the stations!

well, if it's a fake gun, where is the problem. It just shows that it works, there's no problem when you don't bring a real gun.

have this daredevil do the same thing with a real gun in metal with bullets and then I'll worry. So far it seems that the security doesn't forbid plastic toys on board... it's working.

Perhaps this is true at CM airport, but in 1998 or 1999, attempting to board a British Airways flight from New York to London, my young son was told that he couldn't bring his Nerf gun (red and yellow, and obviously plastic) aboard. However, BA staff took possession of the toy, and returned it in London. Note, this was even before the 9/11 outrage!

Predictably this article immediately triggers idiotic anti-Muslim and anti-Malaysia comments by people who do not seem to realize that when it comes to narrow minded bigotry about anything that touches sex, other countries - with the United States at their head - are also doing incredibly well, thank you.

The problem is narrow-mindedness.

The problem is that sex is demonized.

The problem is that nudity is considered obscene.

The problem is that bigots everywhere want to control the minds, beliefs and desires of their fellow human beings.

People who think these attitudes are strictly Muslim are either blind or they have a brain the size of a chick pea.

By the way, in Ancient Greece where the Olympic Games were invented, the athletes were in the nude.

The only thing more predictable than the anti-Muslim, anti-Malaysian comments is someone bringing the USA into the discussion even though it has absolutely nothing to do with the US.

Credo...you are right. The USA provides billions of dollars in aid to many, many nations, puts their citizens in harms way for many of them, and are they grateful? Hell, No! They spit on the USA every chance they get!

It is here but in a soft, more accepting, non-aggressive form. I also see that people may have general ideas of races that they may not like, but on an individual basis are accepting. That doesn't mean that you own't bump into an occasional person who simply does not like any foreigners - - though I think a very small % and les so by far than my home country.

Sometimes it might be other factors, and not be how you look, that influences how Thai(s) react to you.

As an example, I was in a bar in Pattaya recently and ordered a Singha. I glanced at the tab (in my check bin) as I had not gone to that bar before, and saw that I was charged 180 Baht, which is more that twice what I pay in most bars. I'm not a confrontational person, so I just made a mental decision that I would move on when I finished my beer.

One girl (a worker) started talking to me and asked where I was from, and I said "America", at which she said: "No, you're from India".

I asked her why she thought so, and she said that she knows someone who looks like me (I'm multiracial, and in the U.S. also, some people are confused) and the person is from India. She kept pursuing the subject, so, although I really didn't care what she thought, I eventually showed her a laminated copy, of the first two pages of my (US) passport, that I carry. She called a few of her friends to show it to them, too. A little later, I noticed that my tab had been altered (using correction fluid) to read 100 Baht!

I don't know if Indians are charged a surcharge, or why my bill was changed, but in other instances, I've had girls express prejudice against Arabs and Indians, after asking where I was from!