Stargeezr

First, I have never stayed anywhere in Thailand for over 2000 baht per night. If you insist on staying at a 5 star hotel then expect to be considered rich. A fool and his money are soon parted in many places in the world, not just Thailand. On my first trip to Thailand I met a few touts, who were trying to scam me. One said he was a pilot for Thai airways, but his uniform was very tattered. I led him up to a soldier at the Grande palace, and I asked the soldier if he thought the guy was a pilot. The guard laughed and said, he is a tout, or a thief, then he shooed the guy away. Another tout was trying to get me to go to a temple half way across the city, as it was only open to public on special days. If this fool tourist and his wife got stung, I hope that they learned their Thailand lesson. Don't people listen to the Murray Head song, One night in Bangkok anymore. I took that song seriously the first time I heard it.

Well unlike Thailand these officers will be charged with murder and will spend at least a few years in jail. Of course they have not been through the court system yet, so hopefully I am not wrong about this.

Unfortunately a one way trip in an F16, may be from an airport in Ukraine to Moscow, and if the Kremlin were to get a crashing F16, it would be a bad idea. Just saying.

Hey the Thai police are getting a trip to Singapore, how nice. That shows me that I can go safely to Singapore, but not so much safely to Thailand? Maybe it is time for Thailand to get more control of their corruption that is pretty bad. Ha ha ha, just joking, it will be my grand son who may see less corruption in Asia. Sad but true.

I have went to the Tourist police, and 1. They spoke and understood English. 2. They helped me with my robbery issue, and let me use their phone to call the credit card companies that I needed to call. 3. They were polite and professional. Even though this was years ago, I was glad that they did exist and still do exist.

The world needs to sanction the Fores company until it is bankrupt. Sanction for the next 50 years even if the war is over sooner.

I quit riding these mini vans, after too many close calls getting from Bangkok to Pattaya, or Hua Hin. Now I only ride the large buses of a couple companies, or the BKK airport to Pattaya or Hua Hin scheduled buses. I feel safer on the large buses that have 2 drivers.

When I visited Hua Hin, in the country side about 3 or 4 kms there was a pill factory that was making pills, but not legit ones. I gave the old guard a pack of cigs, and he told me in his broken English, met yaba. yaba pills. I also left him a bottle of water as it was quite far from the gate to the factory, and his bottle of water was empty. I found other roads to take after that to avoid the factory. Best to use caution in Thailand when sight seeing.

Thanks for the great news stories. most enjoyable to see the police caught with their pants down. The word fired, does not seem to exist in Thailand, just transferred. Same with jailed for extortion, seems not to exist. Harvey M

It is just too bad that there is not a single family in Thailand that could get these corrupt police members to be arrested and jailed for extortion. TIT, and corruption rules, it seems.

Is that not former master sergeant? Just wondering?

I think that other places like Chumphon are also still suffering. Places like Pattaya, Hua Hin, Cha Am etc. are close in distance to Bangkok, so locals and tourists either go there or to Chiang Mai and other popular cities that are well known. TAT must be happier than they were last year.

To the poster who says west promoting Ukraine war, how would you like Russia to invade the country you are in then lie to say they are only there to protect you from some very bad people. It is time for Russia to get out of the country of Ukraine and stop this war that they have started. Get it? I hope so.

In all my visits to Thailand over the last 30 years, I have always walked around the drain covers, as most of them look like they would collapse if I stepped on them. I use that caution in most places that do not have the proper steel covers like they have in North America, and some other parts of the world.

Defrocking is a lesson for many fake monks. What kind of lesson is learned by smashing a plate over the head of someone? Do not trust a monk? Just wondering.

When you have been fired at 6 times, even an RTP member would likely shoot back at least twice, if he knew how to shoot his gun. I hope the father has enough money for a lawyer to point out this part of the situation.

Thailand has more than China for a nearby country. My guess for this special treatment is the number of possible visiting tourists from China, vs the other nearby countries. Maybe the good trade agreements with the Chinese companies and government as well may be an influence. I just like the Winter weather conditions and a few nice beaches that are away from the cities along the coastlines of Thailand. Just my two cents worth of opinion.

Thanks for the sound bite of Cheech and Chong. brings back fond memories of the 70s. ha ha ha

If the UK has a carbon tax like Canada, it is time to scrap that tax. It is not like the world is running out of food, if you are a millionaire. If you have a normal wage, then sorry about that. I am in that category.

Sorry it was my computer that was the problem, disregard. Harvey

No Sound today did you fix the problem?

Well there is Winter in the UK, Winter in Belgium and Winter in Thailand. Which one would most poster prefer? That is the question, I think. IMO

Oh and today there was yet another mass shooting in California. I guess the USA is trying for a record year of mass shootings, after all it is only January 24th today. I am not from the USA, and I do not want to go there, it is getting very dangerous. Wrong place at the wrong time could kill me.

I am glad to see that some of these looters were found guilty and charged for their crimes. Too bad about the orange teflon guy. He deserves jail time too.

Oh, what time of day in Phuket, do you do your news program. by the way. Harvey M