Classic Ray

Land acquisition delays almost every rail project in Thailand (as well as in some other countries). The Government need to get better at planning and preparation before announcing projects and appointing Contractors. The other big delays usually centre around utilities diversion.

Rather than the Government targeting ten year old cars for scrappage to stimulate new car sales they should scrap all the old and dangerous buses and coaches with their ancient chassis clothed in new panels and their CNG cylinders waiting to turn them into fireballs.

Whilst the Chinese may have declared Taiwan a province it is still self-governing as an independent country they have not “taken it over”. Better to look at what happened in Hong Kong to see how China behaves.

Forcing consumers back onto cancer-causing, but Government-revenue generating, cigarettes.

Stopping midway in a descent for a couple of minutes allows the brakes to cool and reduce fading. It also slows the descent to avoid loss of control on curves.

This is because it is just an increased cost for the operators with no benefit to them. They are selfish and most of them can’t even keep the lights working properly. Government don’t care enough to pass useful legislation, too much concentration on individuals making money, not caring for the electorate.

I think most of it is down to the lack of a safety culture in Thailand. May be connected with Buddhist resignation to fate, if something bad happens it was meant to be. There are no sanctions for bad road behaviour like in Western countries where killing someone in a collision leads to years in prison and massive insurance payouts. Police do little enforcement except tea money speed traps and crash helmet fines. No driver education, only minority have licences, bad signalling, follow too close, no giving way etc etc. Until the Government makes road safety a priority, nothing will change. At the moment it’s just lip service with static checkpoints during dangerous holiday periods. Get the police on mobile patrol, fix the broken speed and stoplight cameras, and teach the kids road safety instead of endless Thai history lessons. Make a difference and save some lives.

The only reason the Government would consider legalisation is to take a slice of it in tax revenue. I expect the illegal way will continue with those who don’t want to pay tax on their winnings or profits.

I wonder how the aggressor in a full face crash helmet was identified as a Thai, instead of any other nationality. Also, how about the victim, how do we know he was a foreigner? Maybe the answers are in the video, I haven’t bothered to watch it, nationalities irrelevant anyway.

I hope no applicants are tempted by dodgy agents looking for commission to get them a job, or those human traffickers looking to place them in brothels.

All the tuk tuks in Bangkok have three wheels, is this a special breed in Phuket?

Reduce speed, maintaining adequate distance between vehicles, and full alertness. Three tactics never seen on Thai roads.

With proper interviewing by the police, the suspect’s admission plus statements from the others involved/witnessing the incident would be enough for a conviction. Good luck finding competent detectives who could do that though.

Fancy someone citing political pressure in the Senate. If there can’t be pressure there, where is it allowed?

I hate people who don’t pay their debts whatever sex or nationality. He is a cad and a bounder!

I went with my family to Safari World outside Bangkok last Saturday. It was packed with organised family groups of mainly Indians and Chinese. I found them to be unfailingly polite, without being pushy and were excited without being too noisy. These are the tourists Thailand should be attracting rather than the backpackers and sex tourists flocking to Pai and Pattaya. They need far less policing although probably don’t spend as much per capita as the undesirables. That’s why the latter are still welcomed, it’s the short term gain the Thai hosts can’t ignore. Decent facilities and environments will not be developed whilst the riff raff continue to be satisfied with the low end sleazy venues. Lauding them as family friendly is just wishful marketing not reality.

Not one mention in the news article of the likely causes and efforts by the Government to address the root causes. Pathetic.

Even when I lived in Chiang Mai years ago, Pai had a reputation as an anything goes, happy go lucky place. If things are getting disorderly, maybe they should post a few more police there to keep order and referee the disputes. It’s what they do in any top class family-friendly resorts elsewhere.

I negotiated the “under repair “ footway in Soi 23 Sukhumvit, Bangkok for nearly a year avoiding the holes and piles of rubble and paving stones in spite of the almost non-existent street lighting, until one night a crumbling slope tipped me into an electrical cabinet, splitting my head open requiring ten stitches. Ironically, the repairs were then completed within a month of my mishap but there are hundreds of km of similarly degraded, obstructed and crumbling footpaths in Bangkok alone. How the blind or those in wheelchairs manage god only knows. But the government only cares about the rich, and they rarely walk.

I have seen several documentaries featuring Newcastle’s night time economy that point out the bravery of young women facing the elements with their only protection very skimpy clothing. The market will determine whether Hooters is a success there without the interference of prudery. Similar establishments I have visited seem to protect their employees very well from the few over excited customers. Give them a chance before condemning them, at least some will have the benefit of jobs.

Some engineering issues that could help following the UK model. 1. Belisha beacons, the large flashing orange globes at each end of the crossing to increase visibility. 2. Spotlights at the kerb shining on pedestrians waiting to cross so drivers can see them at night. 3. Zigzag lines each side of the crossing to prohibit parking and overtaking on the approach side. Also give warning of crossing. 4. more pedestrian controlled traffic lights at crossings.

Marry a Government employee like police or teacher and then all healthcare is virtually free at Government hospitals, 50 baht per visit and free medication.

No bank account to keep the money? Who keeps 200,000 baht in cash lying around, unless you can’t account for where it came from?

Why are the dogs not exercised on leads/leashes? They should not be just released to roam free where they can attack other dogs.

In many Western countries, pedestrians are king and have priority. In Thailand only the poor walk and are treated like crap, priority given according to size of vehicle.