Paulzed

I am all over Ao Nang almost every day - walk the entire tourist strip from Tesco down to the beach road... and over towards Nopparat Tara Beach ... It is a mixed bag... I am told by several resort/hotel/guest house managers that this is a fairly low - low season. On motorcycle I have covered almost all of Ao Nang including the semi-rural areas. I have made inquiries at numerous establishments and taken observations... In my opinion based upon inquiries and observations the current occupancy rate is 25% or less... except in the core of the tourist areas - then maybe 30-35%. Any number of the more outlying 'resorts' are basically not operational - just biding time until the beginning of the high season. My rent in a luxury resort is between 1/3 and 1/4 of the peak season price and I get a very deep discount on a motorbike...

Tourist establishments: restaurants, gift shops, tailor shops and bars - extremely low patronage. I walk by about six tailor shops in my daily exercise walk down and back on the tourist strip - I have yet to see even one customer in a tailor shop. The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners into the restaurants which are almost deserted in the daytime and not a lot better after dark. The 7-11s and Family Marts are busy - but the local Thai customers far outnumber Westerners .

Beach crowd: There is not crowd on the beach itself - scattered all day... The beach front street and shops - sidewalk are busy with tourists walking - as steady stream but not huge numbers.

All this indicates a fairly low - low season...

ADD: I have seen a fair number of people from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and India and some people who could be Muslims ... (educated guess about the origin the Asians...listening to the language, etc. )

Sounds like you need a hobby.

Its good to see they ran a bull dozer through the bamboo bars

oh I know I've had just a little too much wine and and waiting for the delivering of tonight's meal magic from "Meals "on Wheel". Hubby will soon wake up from his late afternoon nap and be totally amused with my cooking.

There is no excuse for any event in Thailand ever running out of food, except for the hosts wanting send a not-so-subtle-message.

Nancy

I agree sounds like they are a pack of Chart Ma

This isn't news!

This story should be on one of those alien abduction or UFO sighting or other similar oxygen wasting moronic website.

http://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/

http://www.urban75.org/mayday01/004.html

The USA likes to harp on about democracy but does not like to stick to it.

Who voted that the USA should be the global police force?

The USA has used its military in many countries against UN Votes e.g. Iraq

And does as it pleases regardless of what the international community thinks.

Yet is happy to condemn Thailand's military when it stepped in to stop a potential civil uprising, that was most likely funded by an ousted and exiled criminal.

The USA and Australia are ignorant of how things are in Thailand, vote buying ,vote rigging, political corruption, proxy PM's put in place by deposed and exiled politicians, civil unrest etc... Is not Democracy and is not a democratic process.

The Junta is trying to restore democracy in Thailand and Western countries should pull their heads in and be proactive to this process not attacking and condemning this.

And if they were genuine about democracy they should reach out to The Junta and offer assistance to help in restoring democracy.

So; 'The Popcorn Gunman' is just an 'ordinary man'. Well; i'm sure this ordinary man has been informed there is a job waiting for him with better than average pay when he gets out. Nothing like doing a bit of recruitment while you're in the slammer eh !

He also stated that none of them are criminals. Petty words from a deluded individual.

He looks healthier...

Did he get a free haircut in jail?!?

Judging by the set position of his mouth, dunno about a haircut but I can guess what he was doing for some of the time in prison. Maybe that's why he's made yellow friends....

He was most likely voted for the soap picking up duties during wash up time.

Lots of political prisoners in Thailand. Taking naps and playing cards.

Birds of a Feather

Oops seems stage one the honeymoon period is coming to an end...

Why are some still harping on about an ex government when the topic is about the Junta wanting fast reforms ? which of course will fail in their haste and fervour to fix everything at once like a kid in a candy shop will sample everything but finish nothing... allowing of course a back door in later when they can claim the interim or to be elected gov fails to deliver the juntas promises btw the farmers were paid the same way as PTP wanted to do, only they didnt have the Juntas absolute power without limit.. farmers did not get poorer they are far better off now than they would have been selling at the market rates.... the country balance is worse off but not the farmers lets be clear about that. Unless it was because of loan sharks rates while the payments were blocked and messed up but the rice scam subsidy has only helped the farmers pockets however misguided the scheme. Then again there has been nothing done about loan sharks and thats because certain parties are making a huge profit out of it and guess who are running some of these loan sharking operations ? think camo and your on the right track....

So back to the topic, what has actually apart from farmers being paid been fixed ? nothing thats what,... a lot of hot air some parking, a few guns lots of parties and free stuff and noise and claims and promises but so far has actually fixed nothing fully at all... its been all bluster and words with no substance and a lot of populist sanctioned headlines with no criticism allowed.... You dont try to reform everything in sight all at the same time in short order.... a first grader will tell you they cant deal with the workload duh !

End of the day soldiers are soldiers, they are good at shooting things and intimidating people but thats about it.

I said history will judge and I dont mean the Thai version of history either with all its half truths and omitted details but stark hard reality about how great a military coup is for a countries progress, prosperity or even long term stability, the odds are never very favourable ... I stand by that still.

PS really good article in Bkk post and Minding Thailand's business. pretty much spot on.

"I said history will judge and I dont mean the Thai version of history either with all its half truths and omitted details but stark hard reality about how great a military coup is for a countries progress, prosperity or even long term stability, the odds are never very favourable ... I stand by that still".

A short term coup is simply designed to remove one pack of mongrels and replacing them with another type.

There will be no long term reforms or changes and the vicious cycle of political corruption, petty mafias etc will continue .

A long term coup is designed to make long-term changes to the culture and the political system, history will remember the American revolution, the American civil war, the Russian revolution, French Revolution etc... as successful coups that changed the political system and culture of a complete nation.

Remember that George Washington was the first man to be publicly called a traitor and a terrorist.

"I acknowledge that the NCPO is not a very pretty thing for a democratic system. There are people who say the NCPO should stay in power for five to 10 years but if we stay that long then we all will die of old age. Let's not stay that long but let us stay in accordance with the roadmap of the NCPO leader."

If the Junta is serious about reform and a complete overhaul of the corruption and the laws to punish the corrupt politicians

and re direction of this rotten culture and a new constitution to protect these new changes, if it takes one hundred years then the junta will need to stay in power for one hundred years or how ever long it takes to change.

The whole point of democratic elections is for the people to vote for a government to run the country for the people and for the benefit of the people, the previous system didn't do this.

So I think that the Junta needs to stay in power until the culture is changed, the new constitution is carved in stone and the new system is accepted by all, regardless if they will grow old during the process.

just my opinion.

The thais know that they can rip off ttourists in these areas and many of them brag about it.

The jet ski scam was a good one for the thais to rip into the un suspecting tourist. Motorbike snatch and grab also a popular choice, and the drugged by a bar girl and lost all my possrsions is an all time favorite

IMG_0933.JPG Great news. My wife's 25 year old cousin who had just got her degree in accountancy had started a career in banking had it all wiped out. The evil that did it was her neighbor who was 16 year old boy high on yaba who shred her to pieces with a machete. This act of madness has ruined my wife's family and yes has also affected mine. Yes I think madness pills is a apt name for this evil drug and I hope the military wipe it out .

The Junta should also bring in Public executions for these low life <deleted> that deal in these drugs!

What's the alternative? Marrying a drunken, philandering, violent loser earning a pittance with the IQ of an artichoke.

Yes, and that's just the farangs.

Yes but the Thai Man wont buy a house and car and put it solely in her name, fork out a fortune to replace the dying Water Buffalo, operation for Grandma, take care of someone else's kids and pay for all of the living expenses and walk away with less than airfare when he gets his arse kicked out the door.

Are they planning to do anything about the phuket Russian Mafia?

Does Thailand have a Department for Backpackers and Debaucherous Revelers (DFBAD) ?

Just curious.

Says the country that was built on Slavery

To put it more precisely, "One of the countries that was built on slavery".

England, Portugal, Spain, France & The Netherlands all became rich off the slave trade. Would you happen to be from one of these countries? No need to answer but certainly something to think about. Also, perhaps a little knowledge of world history would have prevented the need to post a smiling face with hands clapping to emphasize your ignorance of man's cruelty to man throughout the world..

How many companies e.g NIKE, ADIDDAS, etc... been busted many times for running sweat shops in South America, SEA, etc... child labour, workers living in squalor, low pay ....and are still in business today? why has the USA not done anything about this?

I bet you have a nice pair of name brand runners that were made in a sweat shop by some poor kid!

Says the country that was built on Slavery

How much do you know about the Spanish Inquisition? The British Empire? French Indochina? The Russian Gulags? etc etc etc. This is a shameful practice and the world is watching. You seem to be having a good time pointing fingers and just HAVE to say something rather than have SOMETHING to say. What does that make you? Wise? If you have a better idea about how to address the problem please do enlighten us.

How many African, South American and Middle Eastern Countries today, have poor human rights abuse records, but the USA does not say a word because the USA makes big profit from them on Diamonds, Gold, Oil etc....FREE PASS!

Says the country that was built on Slavery

but finally had the sense to change................do you see any change here?

Yes they did change after 460 years and one of the bloodiest civil wars in modern history, assignation of the president and Military rule of the southern states that lasted for 14 years after the war.

"found themselves added to a nations such as Iran, North Korea and Syria"

Just bought a new T-Shirt it says on the front "Good guys go to Thailand - Bad guy imports slaves ."

Was only 100 baht too, bargain.

I got mine for 30 baht at the Pratumam market, you got stitched Bro!

WELL ! I'll ave you know,,, that back in the UuuKayyy!!!!......I think we know how the rest goes!!!

Why would you buy a car, then smuggle it into the country, deliberately get caught just so you could buy it back again, so you end up paying twice for a car??? how much profit/loss were they planning to make???

I would like to start the bid at 25 satung, for the $600,000.00 Lamborghini

Looks Like poor old YING is all out of LUCK!!!