off road pat

33 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

Koh Samui officials should hang their heads in the shame at this foreigner-inspired clean-up.

I used to go to Samui every year back in the early '90s when it was a stunningly beautiful, tropical and almost empty paradise.

I recall the first evening that my then English wife and I spent at Chaweng beach. we could look left for about 1Km and then right down that curved 2Km stretch . It was nearly empty, clean, enchantingly beautiful and it remained like that for the next 2-3 years. 

We then started to noticed the garbage drifting across the sea from Koh Koh Phangan, syringes, plastic and other flotsam/jetsam that washed up daily.

Two years later, Samui was a construction site of concrete, low quality tourists, garbage-strewn beaches, all supported by a vast variety of blaring music, outrageous pricing scams and the increasing number of Mafia organisations from various countries taking over and we decided there and then that we would never go back and we never did.

I still live in Thailand and have done so for 20 years. The problems listed above have not been resolved.

They have just become worse and the garbage is top of the list.

I will never return to Samui. The fantastic times we had there are just fading memories - just like many other such places.

It all got down after they build the airport. People could just fly in easy. Before you had to take a long Bus or train ride to Surathani. Then a taxi ride to the pier. And then an overcrowded speedboat to Nathon at Samui. It was for the adventurous people.

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I lived on Samui for 9 years a long time ago, I was always astonished at how dirty some of the beaches were. Only the ones with the nice hotels who had their own staff go out and clean the beaches we're in really good shape.

 

I calculated once that the island could hire a three-man crew working 5 days a week for about 60,000 baht a month, to clean four or five beaches a day and just circle around the island. This amount is literally nothing for an island like Samui, that generates billions, yet the leaders and the mayor are so greedy that they wouldn't even consider such a plan.

 

On another occasion I was told by a friend who's best friend worked for the Danish Embassy, that the Danes had submitted a plan to create a free electric monorail around the entire Ring Road. 54 km. at no charge to the island, no charge to the government. It was to be a pilot program, and it was turned down because the local officials can't collect bribes on a free system. What can one say? 

 

If you get away from the Ring Road and up into the mountains, Samui is stunning, and some of the beaches are very nice, but the island has always been run with the absolute minimum amount of maintenance, and sometimes it felt like a 6-year-old dish rag in the kitchen of a very busy diner. 

I had some very good years there back in the day, but the island changed a lot, and I don't miss it for a minute. 

I stayed at Lamai (just outside the town) for over 20 years, a couple of months a year. In a bungalow close to the beach. One day I heard some noise at the main road. I went to see, and there were a dozen guys all with the same T-shirts collecting the garbage and cleaning the side of the road. A politician was leading them. Pretty soon a minibus arrived with a camera crew. They started to film and interview the politician. After they finished filming the guys collecting the garbage, the camera crew left, .... Right after that, the politician called every body and they got into a minivan and left as well. It was all just for the cameras, ... nothing ever get done there.

8 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

What strikes me here in the report, is that there are dozens of Thai people , business owners, beach goers, all complaining about the problem. Yet it takes a Foreigner here for three months to actually try to get something done. Therein lays a problem here, local people will suffer instead of speaking out in case they lose face, or are seen to be troublemakers.

I was exactly on that same beach two years ago. And then already that German named Mathias was known for letting his dog bite people.

Everybody knew him and feared his dog. The authority's should dig a bit deeper! He bought a house and land there !! My understanding is that foreigners can not own land in Thailand.

11 hours ago, Artisi said:

"Shock Resignation", thought we was kicked out to make room for another Thaksin clone?

It was all planned in advance. Putting her too early in power would have been far too Obvious.

7 hours ago, Wiggy said:

I guess time was needed to tamper with the CCTV, remove the gunshot residue and other forensic evidence and get the story straight so that he can get away with it. Which I am in no doubt he will. 

Hm,.. I doubt it. The guy he shot was not just any Somchai !!!?? He also had Hi so powerful friends. !!

23 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

could not happen to a nicer guy, hope he gets 20yrs

We all know he will never do one day in jail,....the police hospital luxury room will be waiting for cases like this !!!

6 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I wonder if having a criminal father and Aunt can be seen as an 'ethical violation'?

Ethical violations only count when it suits them,... Having a convicted drug dealer (Thamanat) in government is no ethical violation, apparently !?!?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57001674

9 hours ago, AlexPattaya said:

It’s a Great Choice! Smart, Educated, She will bring stability and prosperity to the Kingdom! I think she will be great !

Hm,... Smart ??? Didn't she get caught cheating at the university entry examination ??? (Her father bought the exam questions and answers !!)

41 minutes ago, kwilco said:

I'm sorry but as an honest question, the best I can suggest is you familiarise yourself with Thailand's politics - if I gave you an explanation it would most likely be removed by ASEAN NOW to avoid further action by the authorities.You need to understand that most of the comments on this site on Thai politics are going to be very cryptic. the only way to understand that is by reading up yourself. THis can be difficult in THailand as many books, articles t are unavailable.

Excellent response. Love it. Respect !!

8 hours ago, Fairynuff said:

I’ll give her 5 minutes before she gives way to daddy. I could be wrong though, it might be quicker than that.

No need, Daddy was in power even before he came back. Sometimes, it's better to be in power behind the scenes and let the front take all the blame.

13 hours ago, thesetat2013 said:

never fear, Thaksin is here. I am certain that he has this planned out and someone ready to take over Sretta's position. 

Yep, It's all arranged in advance ! Thaksin's Daughter will be it.

On 8/14/2024 at 11:01 AM, Will B Good said:

 

 

 

So Thaksin's daughter takes over?

Yep, It's all arranged in advance ! Thakin stay's in power, (in the background)

On 7/31/2024 at 2:53 PM, expat_4_life said:

 

Self-inflicted ... should have retired from public life, stayed home with his family, and out of politics.

Hm,... There is so much money to be made by politics !!! Not to mention Thai Politics !?!?

10 hours ago, DjSilver08 said:

Tech Talent Hub 1954.

 

First Thailand needs to become a real democracy and not a Military Banana State.

Hm,.. You don't keep up with the news. It seems that the Thai people don't like the current democratic government, and want to go back to the Military Banana state !!!

8 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Never heard of free trade??? If the local product are too expensive make them cheaper....

Or Ban the competition !?

7 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

How does having dual citizenship 'deepen the situation'?

Hm,.. They can ask both countries to pay for repatriation !!

On 8/1/2024 at 10:40 PM, CallumWK said:

Thaksin know his time is up, hence he wanted to flee back to Dubai. I think the coming weeks will get very interesting

Thaksin will flee the way his sister fled !!

11 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

Why do people carry knives? The last thing I would ever do is go out with a knife in my pocket, it just doesn't enter my head to do so.  Alcohol + knives (or guns) + testosterone = trouble.

 

The 'hard man' has ruined the lives of the aussie's famliy and ruined his own life - for what?

Lots of people carry knives without ever killing someone. I always carry a multi tool with a knife incorporated. Before that, I had a folding knife.

35 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

All those years reading and you don’t know that Hmong are NOT Thai people?

Well, this one was really a Thai,..."Ex-Husband's Rampage Leaves Five Dead Across Two Provinces",...

Thailand !!! The hub of stolen Luxury cars !!!!

8 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Cars were recovered in Thailand more than seven years ago. From the article cars haven't yet been returned just the promise of return 'per legal requirements'.

My how slowly the wheels of justice turn here.

Yeah, the wheels of justice runs on flat tires in Thailand !! Just like the car in the picture !

6 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

Here I was thinking we might make it through a whole day without another hub, guess not 🫤

Sooo good , you made my day !! thx

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Budget travelers.

I am a budget traveler and always have a good insurance for my wife and I.