UbonRatch

The problem with having a 600 baht Nokia, is that no one wants to call you.

When calling how do they know what phone he has?

I suspect the screening happens before they ask for the number.

koff..

The problem with having a 600 baht Nokia, is that no one wants to call you.

When calling how do they know what phone he has?

I believe 'twas called humour, sire.

"The whitening fad has dominated the beauty industry in Thailand for years. Women are bombarded with adverts for cosmetics that promise to lighten their complexion. Helping drive this "ideal" here is South Korean culture, whose stars invariably sport flawless eggshell complexions. Whitening products make up half of Thailand's Bt1-billion skincare market."

Thailand....Where women look at Morticia Addams and say to themselves: "Wow she's beautiful. I want to have skin just like hers".

Let's face it, insecure people, no matter what society, country or ethnic group, want to be what they are not. People with light skin want to be tan. People with darker skin want to be light in the hope that others will not look beyond their skin and discover the true person. The advertising industry plays upon these insecurities and makes a fortune for its clients.

The desirability of 'whiteness' goes back millenia.

It was always the mark of 'nobility', more so in 'darker' societies.

In my travels in the world I have never met anyone who wanted to be more dark than already was.Except some whites of course

The reciprocal does occur, as you mention.

I don't really believe Michael Jackson wanted to be as white as he became for a mark of nobility, but more it was just that when Diana Ross kept doing bad things he was continually arrested by mistake... so he wanted a small change to distinguish such error.

A phone is for calling

My Nokia from 600 THB can do that

Despite what the name says, a "smartphone" is not "a phone with a big screen and apps" but a tiny computer with additional functions such as telephony and photography. It is also a communication device beyond the domain of voice. WiFi tablets are the same thing minus the telephony function (which can be added via service apps such as Skype). From observation I would say that very little time is dedicated by smartphone users to voice communication, it's mostly games, games and then more games, followed by Facebook time and chatting on "Line" or "Whatsapp". Which in turn makes the term "smart" phone more than a little bit ironic. The only smart people here are the hardware and app developers.

And if you look at this from a weird angle, you basically paid 600 Baht for a functionality that smartphones provide for free.

Couldn't agree more. As I said, I have an S4 and it's probably more powerful than my ACER laptop, in all honesty.

However, 98% of the apps I use are free.... so I don't run up huge bills. It seems it is GAMES that are the bad apple here, as many point out.

As the first response to the OP suggested... such games that incur costs should be banned worldwide. Playstations and X-Boxes don't incurr additional costs, once purchased, as far as I know - apart from the games one wants to indulge in - and spend once to buy and utilise. It's these darned GAMES with apps and what appears to be ways needed to get to next levels which cost... something I still can't get my head round. I do see posts on FB where friends are asking for things from each other, or help to get to a next level. If that's what tickles their fancy - then fine - but it seems those games don't incur costs - just sharing.

Same in Australia, inmates can study for a variety of degrees and all free of charge , paid for by the taxpayer. The good law abiding people however go into debt to earn their degrees and will be persued by the authorities until they pay.

The thing is that prisoners are a burden on the taxpayer anyway, and statistically in most countires prisoners are about 70% likely to reoffend and end up back in prison.

OK so educating these prisoners is a further burden on the taxpayer, but if it helps to break the cycle of recidivism then it cannot be a bad thing.

Also, the prisoners who reform and stay out of trouble become a poitive role model for others..

My wife is still paying her education bill 10 years after graduating.

You meanie.

I love the natural olive complexion that Thai women have. These so called whitening creams are a scam.

Olives are green....I have not yet seen green Thai women.

Perhaps you have spent too much time gazing into your vodka martini?

oliver.jpg

It seems there are enough varieties in color to keep every body happy.

I prefer my two olives to be purt and pointy, and definitely of a darker, brown-ochre tint.

Green just wouldn't taste right.

I love the natural olive complexion that Thai women have. These so called whitening creams are a scam.

Olives are green....I have not yet seen green Thai women.

You obviously haven't seen a lot of Olives, either

As for "all the Thais that use whitening creams, want to look different, yadda yadda": no tanning salons in the West. No Botox? No face lifts? No boob jobs?

Could do with a few boob job outfits in Thailand.

Hmm, you know this could work for all of us. If AIS keep having to waive cookie run bills, maybe this insidious game will be banned or at least AIS will refuse to carry it.

Pipe dream I know but still.

This being AIS has thaksin written all over it. I recently changed to DTAC and my money seems to last much longer.

^^^This. I will avoid using strong language but I dumped AIS 3-4 years ago when it was sucking me dry of hundreds of baht within hours of doing nothing. (I got all the money credited back.) I went to True and my spending went to normal. I have since switched to DTAC. I use 3G data services on phone systems in Cambodia and Vietnam too where I've never experienced the outrageous money drain as I experienced on AIS.

I can't say I agree. I was with DTAC, and the reverse... my bills were over 1,200 per month. Changed to AIS and now normally between 650-750B. However, when I told my wife AIS was linked to Thaksin she now wants to move back to DTAC, despite higher bills. I also found DTAC does not connect well when I visit Ubon, but AIS has great connection.

I have post-paid with AIS, but no idea what my limit is, as I rarely run up a large bill - over 800B... and I have an S4... some would say waste of a phone... but I do use it for e-mails, and simple calls to make contact, plus LINE and Skype and FB are free ... AS FOR GAMES? Forget it... 55

I dunno what the fuss is all about. She ain't that dark... in fact she's quite fair. She ain't no si dam dam, that's for sure!

Why did Chailert Pichitpornchai present the degrees? ?

I have no idea what this game is all about, although I've heard of it.

What I do know is that I get spammed by LINE everyday, with messages saying my friend has invited me to play 'Cookie Run'. I simply deleted them, knowing they are spam and knowing I'm not interested in the slightest.

What is the addiction of getting to the next level, and going all out and out to achieve it? I really don't understand such. I can think of thousands of things I'd rather spend my time engaged in. Somebody? The addiction?

I think he missed one important point.

It's not the factories or fishmeal processing those ruddy 'farang' are interested in...

He sure skipped local catches rather quickly!!

6 years and 12000 baht, bit on the light side financially, should have cleaned out his bank account but at least he was given jail. Lets hope this continues to all the other scammers that the ptp allowed to get away.

I'd like to go and visit in him jail. Which one is it again?

You just can't make this up. It's like they have a desperate need for the status quo to remain the same. Can not, will not, must not change. Change is bad. And the statements they make to justify their inactivity are simply inane. On top of that, I'm pretty sure they even believe themselves the nonsense du jour they are spouting. Of course, due to Short Attention Span Syndrome, they could very well come out with the exact opposite tomorrow, and believe it, too.

It must be something in the water...God bless them...

I left my shoes in the Bastille, after 25 years of making them.

I never felt the need to return, nor did I regret change.

Regards,

Modern Defarge.

Oh dear. Those Shinawats do seem to attract criminal activity like a street full of scallies.

They can't all be up to no good. Surely there's a white sheep of the family?

Don't insult scallies, or you'll get a Stanley tram-line.

Nothing wrong with spots all on one side of the face; a pure example is in Thai fish cooked wrongly.

"Suchart Chantaranakarach said the downgrade will affect only those selling products under the “Made in Thailand” label."

It just continues in a downward spiral, does it not?

Unbelievable statement!

What's next on the unscrupulous agenda? A change of brands and labels, with no mention of source?

Thainess is losing its Thainess, in all matter of ways. Or, maybe, it has totally lost it, and Thainess does not exist anymore unless the word corruption is explicitly involved.

Well I hate to admit it but you are right. Corruption has been growing and Thainess is slowly being replaced by commercialism.

The industry has been aware that they have been perceived to be big time in the inhumane treatment of their crews. All of a sudden when even a hint that it might hurt their pocketbooks shows up they decide to prove it wrong. Why not 5 years ago?

It's such a shame. Yet, wasn't Thainess always and in anyways complimentary to Thai women?

I don't recall Thainess ever being associated with Thai males. I may well be wrong, not mentioning him who is/was a statute for liberty here, for whom I hold admiration.

I personally believe the word 'Thainess' is lost in any translation, even within Thai. It is an adage. It's gone.

I'd love a recent example of Thainess, to show me nothing corrupt was involved, and it was a pure act of true Dhamma, Pali and recent belief in such; and that it involved no gain.

Anyone want to bet that Thailand remains Tier 3 next year?

Odds pls?

Meet you at the bike stand.

It's all good and well condemning but I wonder how many and how high up the chain have had there palms crossed by turning a blind eye or by directly being involved in said activity?

It seems generally that the proof is in the pudding. Huge house (mansion, as most would term) surrounded by ghettos and holes in the ground for local suppliers (illegal imigrants) to shit in before the mansion's trade outlet starts its daily routine, no matter what it be, appears to be a generally good starting point. The bigger the mansion, the higher up the chain. The more Benz'... the more power. And so it goes on. To the biggest house..... Parliament house ...

Parades are for show and usually just once a year. Instead of parades maybe they ought to arrest, try, convict, and imprison human traffickers.

It's nigh impossible to arrest oneself, na.

"Suchart Chantaranakarach said the downgrade will affect only those selling products under the “Made in Thailand” label."

It just continues in a downward spiral, does it not?

Unbelievable statement!

What's next on the unscrupulous agenda? A change of brands and labels, with no mention of source?

Thainess is losing its Thainess, in all matter of ways. Or, maybe, it has totally lost it, and Thainess does not exist anymore unless the word corruption is explicitly involved.

Made in Thailand?

Foreigners secretly are admirers of Thai products, but Thais don't see their worth.

Scared of being looked down upon, liking Thai products isn't fashionable.

The shirts, trousers, and jeans, are sent abroad on planes, and then imported back.

If it's "Made in Thailand", who's going to give the guarantee for them?

"Made in Thailand", and when put up in the shops, they put the "Made in Japan" labels upon them.

It wasn't the foreigners who cheated us but it was Thais who cheat themselves

Interesting that nowadays most products, even in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and most of Europe (plus major countries I missed out), aresold by major brands such as M&S, Tesco, Walmart, Ikea (to name but a few examples) all comprise labels as identified: 'Made in China'. 'Made in Japan' carries little weight nowadays, unless it is a branded car.

I'd say most foreigners do not see 'Made in Thailand' as carrying much weight nowadays. So, yes, Thailand has cheated itself. However, not Thailand itself, but the corrupt families who have continued the tradition of family member promotion, in order to maintain control. Thailand, and its peoples, are pretty much genuinely innocent because their education has been controlled into limitation that does not permit understanding of the corrupt ways of the so called 'echelons' at the top, or even at a provincial level. Fear instilled is a major component.

Most Thais don't cheat themselves, but are cheated by the ever existing systems that have been placated by those in power, and their descendants.

I hope Prayaruth can see through this, and make entire adjustments that invert all past involvement. He seems to be alert, yet he has Thainess, and maybe one day he can be bought as much as any other Thai... for peanuts.

Frost & Sullivan get your asses out of your heads. Complete BS.

Quote: "The research and consulting firm estimates that car sales will grow by 6.5 percent to 1.23 million this year." (In Southern Asia)

Quote: "market leader Thailand is expected to see its sales fall by 11.7 percent to 1.18 million by year-end after topping 1.33 million in the past year"

Errm, how does a 6.5% growth this year equate to 1.33 million last year?

Market leader Thailand (c.f. Japan) holds 1.18 million of 1.23 million projected? Yep, for sure.. Indonesia is making a killing on sales in Southern Asia... and I just saw the ghost of a flying pig.

Edit: The report is from the Jakarta post. Must , therefore, be highly reliable.

The 6.5% growth in sales is for indonesia., The 1.33 million car sales relates to how many vehicles were sold in Thailand last year because of the incentive PTP gave for first time car buyers, a rebate of 100,000bht.

It is a comparison between Indonesia and Thailand. You might want to re-read the article!

Appreciated. However, the way it was presented was not very clear, to me anyway.

I guess Thailand won't be the hub of SE Asian car manufacture by the end of this year too, amongst prawn exports and the likes.