houston

The official lyrics change quickly like a yoyo. People will start to believe when the facts are duly established in time.

I will wait to comeback, I have 65 yo and to visit Thai now is too much complicated, I have 3 COVID shoots in USA, it is my warranty for not to infect others. I agree to put mask only for my own safety but no more constraints for me to comeback for friends. Before I  go Thai 3 times per year or more for only 2 weeks because I brought my dogs to live there and a good friend is waiting me. I really want to visit and spend my money if the process is simple as before 2 weeks in Thai is short, not good for me to lose time with complicated things

19 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

I wouldn't like to see their "attacking" policy !

Defensing measure is not an appropriate term but I agree the citizen must stop when the police ask him to stop. The driver find himself problem with police and the police does not have to be blamed. It is just an accident due to the driver mistake not want to conform with the law, this thing happens in USA and it is more spectacular than this, nobody blames policeman (except maybe with some black community).

It is surely an example and a warning to foreigners that they can't do what they want in the country of smiles. Heavy  sentence even for a bad Thai killing but Thai is more important than foreigner.

Why didn't they tell about the dead french man name? Maybe other people who know him can bring more clues to investigate about the man.

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Hi, a friend of mine if supposed to visit me soon, I wonder if he can have boarding issues from Paris because he don't have a return ticket.
I ask that because one time, in Paris too, I was asked to show my visa prior to get my boarding pass (Which I had, so I didn't asked what would have happened if not)

If that matters, my friend is a genuine tourist,

I always travel before from Paris to Bangkok, not need visa for tourist and nobody at CDG ask me for a visa to Thailand. The immigration at BKK immigration will do it for entry at airport. Even now, i visit Thailand from Houston to Bangkok without having to be asked for a visa.

About no return ticket, as I know with my travel experience, the cost for single ticket is more expensive than a round trip. When I moved to Houston, I just bought a round trip,  less expensive than a single trip. Maybe the single trip of your friend made airport asked for the visa, Thai immigration (for tourist) need to know the date of his return flight to know when he has to return back.

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It drives my wife crazy but would get her on a diet.

To do exercise is a mean for the body burn the fat and liberate the caloric but it doesn't solve the phenomena. Too much diet is also not good, it will make the body to stock fat more quickly to prevent the state of caloric food missing. The best way is to eat healthy food,  make the body balanced, try not to go to food places to avoid temptation or choose only healthy food.

A lot of countries has now children and even adult getting fat. In France or South America, government try to below high calorific food or drinks by taxing them. In Thai young children like to eat new western food to show western fashion with friend by going kfc, mac do, .... and drink more coca, soda.... High calorific consumption made the body stock fat. This is explained by medicine that people who eat poor or even balanced food for long time suddenly change to calorific regime made the gene who has habit with low caloric so it orders the body to stock fat in case the calorific regime below. It is a natural reaction of the body to stock fat (caloric) to prevent hunger state.

Do it like USA, they just signed a contract with France for the TGV new generation, 537 kph for this generation of train , less energy consumption, more comfortable, high speed even in curve. The contract is signed some weeks ago for the line from Boston to Washington DC, 28 trains ordered for this part of line with a French factory built in USA for American got job. This line will be operational in 2012. The project includes new contract planned for the TGV in Texas from Dallas to Houston then in California from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. In USA, they will limit the speed to 300 to 350 mph, study of infrastructure for speed is in evaluation.

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deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak said the prime minister has expressed his appreciation for China’s invitation of Thailand to the G20 summit.

 

He praised President Xi for his constructive vision

I hope Thailand know the big fish can eat the small fish, specially the big fish are preparing to catch first Vietnam, Philippines, ...If it is only about diplomacy/politics it is OK but it is better Thai have to prepare to defend their territory too because it is in sandwich between India and Vietnam, territory  china want to control. When the different little fish do not cooperate, it is more easy for the big fish to eat them all. It is the vision of a big fish, to divide for a better reign.

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deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak said the prime minister has expressed his appreciation for China’s invitation of Thailand to the G20 summit.

 

He praised President Xi for his constructive vision

I hope Thailand know the big fish can eat the small fish, specially the big fish are preparing to catch first Vietnam, Philippines, ...If it is only about diplomacy it is OK but it is better Thai have to prepare to defend their territory too because it is in sandwich between India and Vietnam, territory  china want to control. When the different little fish do not cooperate, it is more easy for the big fish to eat them all.

What a royal death ,

what a good last souvenir before to join god.

Leave in peace, Amen.

This is an interesting topic. I think a big part of the issue is the mindset and that religion plays such a big part in these issues. I am always amazed at the amount of money spent to celebrate the entry into monk hood of a son by people who clearly cannot afford it.

I see people with no jobs or money who are deeply religious and take great pride in hitting up equally poor friends and neighbors for money to build their money tree for the temple. And then I see the massive amount of money in all those money trees at the temple, I often wonder why don't they take some of that money and invest in an education of their children.

The simple answer to your post SpokaneAl is that Thais believe in what you give you get back. Also they're siht scared of the afterlife and if they aren't seen to be good Buddhists then they won't go to heaven, so to speak. That's more important important than their children's education. It's call selfishness.

I don't think people are selfish with their children for only afterlife purpose but extra education is expensive and complicated for poor people. Giving money to the temple is only a hope gesture for having in near future better regular family life. At the ban i plan to live (Issan), temple received lot of money from people, i don't know if temple helps the very poor or not but I saw them build more luxurious and bigger temple, that can make me ask myself some questions about big amount of money temple received from people.

Personally, I think we are an individual who cannot solve Thai problems. For my part, I plan to take little time to help children at the ban to learn English or help them mathematics problems, Specially in the ban, education level is very low, teachers at ban seems not very competent.

You want to see genuine Thai smiles? Start in Chiang Mai, get on a "big bike", 250cc or bigger, with a good helmet and kit. Then take a trip to Chiang Dao, then up to Fang, back down to Prae, then Phayao, head for Lampang, then Phitsanulok, down to Ayutthaya, then head for Loei, then Khon Kaen, over to Roi Et, then Udon Thani. Then go to Tak, up to Nakon Sawan, and finally back to Chiang Mai.

Along the way stop in the small villages. Enjoy their food and hospitality. Stop at the road side stalls where they sell fruit and vegetables. Get off the bike, buy some fruit or veggies, sit down and enjoy them. I guarantee the people will give you REAL Thai smiles. They will want to talk to you. Nervously, of course, because they seldom know English, but they will try if you smile at them. They will ask if you can speak Thai. They will want to know where you are from. Not just which country, but where you live in Thailand. They will want to know if you have a Thai girlfriend or Thai wife. They will want to know why you came to Thailand, or why you live in Thailand.

It's none of that fake, plastic shit like you see in Phuket, Pattaya, and Bangkok. It's real, and they are genuine. I know, because for the better part of 5 years, that's exactly what I did for 3-6 days at a time. Then I got felled by a stroke. But I'm working through that, and in another 3 months or so, I'm buying a new bike and I'm heading out again. The people I've met on these trips are the real Thai people, and they are beautiful.

Hit the nail on the head,,so refreshing to see a positive post about LOS.

I live in the south and have not done that trip but it sounds fantastic,,,one day,,,

Real thailand is not Pattaya,Phuket,Samui,Hua hin,,etc etc.You will find at least 90% of the thai people who

frequent these places are not "born there"most are just there for the work(legitimate&illegitimate).

Too many judgments are made from these tourist epicenters which are not truly representative of genuine thai people as a whole.

As far as I am concerned there is no cultures or places on earth that are perfect.Often you get back what you give out.

Wouldn't anyone rather see a smile than a frown,i see many farang walking around around like the weight of the world is on their shoulders,

so to me its a state of mind.

My experience in travelling around is,if you give a smile i've always got one back,,even when no english is spoken at all,,,and its genuine,,not "would you like fries with that?"

Here endith the lesson!!!!!!

Get out there.........

Yes, just live your life with happiness, give smile, receive back poeple smile and enjoy this.

At least, poeple smile in this nice country and it's good.

Compassion is good, but this is a stereotype of a scam.

Turning to arbitrary strangers on public street, forget it.

The only credible part of the story is, that "Martin Hackl" could be an Austrian name

Having lived in a big city for more than 30 years I heard so many variations of these stories.

Point him to police to make a report and then go to his embassy where they will tell him how to continue.

Then go your way.

I have same case like this when I was waiting my flight in Germany, a young french guy ask me 50 euros to take bus to come back France, and he seems very embarrassed, tell me he will give money back when he come back home.

Sure I helped him because i think I will be happy if other help me in critical cases. So no news of him after.

It's sure compassion is good but I asked myself if I will help again in similar case. Now personally, I think I will help people again, it's only not a big money and it doesnt happen frequently, at least you have no doubt that helping people is always good (even it's a trick from some dishonest people), some real help goes to people who are really needed and deserved for it.

God always bless you when you give.

The act of human beeing compassion is important.

The was a historically significant act of war of Islamists against the entirety of western civilization.

Charlie Hebdo could be "explained" and more marginalized as revenge against a provocative satirical magazine and also the usual Jew hatred (muddied by conflating all the Jews in the world as active soldiers of the state of Israel).

So the general public could still feel, well it's only about "them" those others that provoke the Islamists and of course Jews who are widely hated anyway.

They could choose not to provoke the Islamists with cartoons and Jews, who really cares about Jews?

This is different. Bigger. This is a message for ALL of us in the world who are NOT Islamists.

I think this change in tactics was intentional and this message was intentional. It's not only about free speech cartoons, it's not only about Jews ...

they're after ALL of us.

Message received.

What does means the word Islamists in this context?

Any person believes in Islam and follow Islam is considered as an Islamist, right?

These bombing attackers, ISIS members and their similar types are just vagabond dogs, they do not know any thing about Islam, or what Islam saying, many of them who migrated from western countries they were deeply involved in vagabond life style, and suddenly get involved with these misguided vagabonds and get involved in these devil activities,, and the global propaganda takes the initiative to do the rest of the job by marketing their activities as Islamists and promoting the event to be counted on Islam in result, good job...!!!

Islam is a religion. Islamists or muslims are people who practice Islam religion.

ISIS is a Jihadist community, it's the radical branch of Islam, also called the Islam extremist.

Jihadist is people who do the Jihad. The Jihadist means the "islamic warrior" as described in the islamic book.

The Jihad is the quest to propagate Islam over the world and the application of the strict islamic law (charia law) for everybody.

The jihad was practiced by Islam in ancient time to get influence (conquest for territory, and so influence) against Boudist, then catholic. For this the Jihad is a part described in Islamic sacred bible, that made the ISIS radical branch of Islam to use the jihad for their extremist quest of expansion.

I think the history and the vocabulary is important. I will say ISIS is a radical branch of Islam and others are temperate branch of Islam.

That makes everybody sometimes confusing and misunderstanding, maybe not using the right terminology.

The real problem is how to tract the Jihadist terrorist who hide among normal civilian or who hide inside the islam community.

Also the problem of western countries with immigrant politic that open the way for some extremist to infiltrate to the country for terrorism actions.

That the epic question for governement to solve and for this Le Pen rises in France ...

The was a historically significant act of war of Islamists against the entirety of western civilization.

Charlie Hebdo could be "explained" and more marginalized as revenge against a provocative satirical magazine and also the usual Jew hatred (muddied by conflating all the Jews in the world as active soldiers of the state of Israel).

So the general public could still feel, well it's only about "them" those others that provoke the Islamists and of course Jews who are widely hated anyway.

They could choose not to provoke the Islamists with cartoons and Jews, who really cares about Jews?

This is different. Bigger. This is a message for ALL of us in the world who are NOT Islamists.

I think this change in tactics was intentional and this message was intentional. It's not only about free speech cartoons, it's not only about Jews ...

they're after ALL of us.

Message received.

What does means the word Islamists in this context?

Any person believes in Islam and follow Islam is considered as an Islamist, right?

These bombing attackers, ISIS members and their similar types are just vagabond dogs, they do not know any thing about Islam, or what Islam saying, many of them who migrated from western countries they were deeply involved in vagabond life style, and suddenly get involved with these misguided vagabonds and get involved in these devil activities,, and the global propaganda takes the initiative to do the rest of the job by marketing their activities as Islamists and promoting the event to be counted on Islam in result, good job...!!!

Islam is a religion. Islamists or muslims are people who practice Islam religion.

ISIS is a Jihadist community, it's the radical branch of Islam, also called the Islam extremist.

Jihadist is people who do the Jihad. The Jihadist means the "islamic warrior" as described in the islamic book.

The Jihad is the quest to propagate Islam over the world and the application of the strict islamic law (charia law) for everybody.

The jihad was practiced by Islam in ancient time to get influence (conquest for territory, and so influence) against Boudist, then catholic. For this the Jihad is a part described in Islamic sacred bible, that made the ISIS radical branch of Islam to use the jihad for their extremist quest of expansion.

I think the history and the vocabulary is important. I will say ISIS is a radical branch of Islam and others are temperate branch of Islam.

That makes everybody sometimes confusing and misunderstanding, maybe not using the right terminology.

To be exact with the news today, the victims are normal people with 129 death, some 100 injured between death and life among 356 injured. 7 terrorists was dead mainly by activating their bomb blast belt. 3 terrorists was arrested at France-Belgium border during their retreat to Belgium due to their car plate identified by video. Only 1 terrorist is somewhere.

One of the terrorist is identifed as french citizen identified by french intelligence with the S file (muslim jihadist), an other terrorist has a syrian passport coming from greece with immigrant boat people (maybe false passport), one terrorist who was arrested at belgium is french living in belgium (it's him renting the 2 cars using for the attack at Brussel).

The attack was lead by 3 teams, the action took at all in 20 minutes, 2 cars was used, the target was a concert hall, a soccer place and some 5 different well knowned restaurants inside Paris. The purpose is to kill a maximum poeple possible.

Terrorist claim it's their answer to french politic to go in war with daesh in syria and Iraq.

A cowerded act of war against civilian victims.

I unfortunately had this bad experience last year: my gf washed my clothe without notice with my french passport inside. It was the day I have to leave the country and I had a big problem because the flight company refuse to let me register for my flight to Houston. All ink visa stamp are always readable but they refuse to let me get my flight to USA (even i show them my permanent resident card, my driver license & SSN).

They argue that a "WASHED" passport maybe a FALSE passport. Luckily at BKK airport, there have 2 officers who can decide in this case if the passport is authentic or not, it took little long time to find them but finally they come just in time to judge the authenticity of the passport, finally let me come back home.

All of this to say, the flight company will make maybe more problem for you than the new stamps you try to get at thai immigration office.

And now, i think i will take very care of my passport not be washed again, my next flight to BKK is for this december with a very very new passport from french embassy at Houston, lot of place for new visa stamps.

I think people have different behavior depending of their nature, and I try to accept this if it doen't happened often as a real sickness.

I have my Thai girlfriend who refugee in silent state sometimes when I talked hard because she does bad things (no thinking, no memory, not focus, dont want to discuss ...)

Silent seems the way some thai girl adopt when something made them unhappy (or just melancoly).

But after that I changed to other subjects which made her interested, and miracle, thing goes to normal.

It's my tip, maybe not work for everybody beeing silent.

Reading this article only highlights how inept and ignorant these people are. There is not one cognoscente statement made that would in any way support the argument for submarines and a base on the gulf.

They also forgot to mention that the Thai Navy has a submariner division which has been "active" for over 40 years. They just don't have the vessels

I understand now how frustating for the Thai navy Submariner division without any submarine during 40 years.

It looks as the real motivation of Thai navy for having some submarine is, not really for a need for Thailand efficiency defence nor other reasons, but just have to pay for a low cost and ineffective submarines to exist. What a waste for such army ambition !!!

Also, Thai navy seems forget who is the real menace in Asia, who continu to grow their big army and already did hostile actions in the China sea, broken international maritime law, first step to break the marine commercial traffic and then ... easy to conqueer new land neighbor ( a kind of mixed Tibet & ww2), do it slowly but surely. Buy ship from China means help them accelerate their conquest ambition.

The US may have pointed out that, if tensions escalate beyond a certain point, Thailand will have to publicly choose sides and if it chooses the US, China will no longer support the maintenance of the submarines.

Since China claims the China sea as their own based on their old old history, unrespect international law and harm VN, Philipine neighbors by building land on their neigbor sea, the tension was now more and more critical. Now nobody reacts strongly by fear of the great China armies. China also warns Usa that is not usa matters in Asia.

Buying China submarines means Thailand choose his side for the China despote. No liberty in this country,even China people try to leave the country regime. Better thailand consider this point and dont support this China regime. Once they get this ocean without opposition, what country will be the next for China expansion in asia?

My opinion is everybody can have a baby if they desire and have enough finance for the baby future.

If I am in this case (66 years old), the question I will ask myself is NOT COST but the very high risk of AUTISM when poeple at this age do a baby....

Vietnam is well worth the visit. If my son, daughter-in-law and grandson were not all in Thailand, I am sure my wife and I would now be in Nha Trang

I was in Thailand in 2009 and spent 2 weeks to go VN. You have daily flight from BKK to HCM ville (very cheap) and have just ask visa from internet (visa delivered at TSN airport).

I plan to retreat in Thailand in the next 2 years and will go to discover VN again (my childhood country). These nice pics make me want to know more about my country.

Anybody ever lived in Loei? any insights as to what to expect.?

Hi, I am near Loei and go Loei regularly for shopping. The town develop quickly since 5 years ago. It's a medium town with all basic commodies, not too much entertainement, little boring if you live only in Loei.

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Around Loei, it has beautiful landscape, nice nature as Chiankhan with the mekong river, phurua with mountain in high altitude (cold, pine trees ...), good road and places to discover if you bike. Laos frontier is not very far so easy to go for discovery.

I plan to live permanently there in a little village (ban ahi) near Thali, have an american and a french but french is gone now. I build the house at the village but workers in the village are really not good , not same standard as in europe or usa. I dont know well expats at loei but it has a big expat community at udon thani, you can go to make a tour. My idea is you or someone organize for a Loei expat community, less boring for expat living at this place.