Scouse123

2 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

I saw a Thai News clip on a friend's phone yesterday and they had pictures of this guy and compared the manner of stance, which appeared to be similar. Apparently, according to the clip this teacher/director had broken a leg some while back which left him with slightly abnormal walk. Anyone here confirm this?

Just wait five minutes, somebody will confirm.

1 minute ago, DannyCarlton said:

Apparently, the "safe house" was the local army barracks.

Well OK whatever,

I would like to see or know the reasoning behind it to take him there and then AFTER transfer him to a regular police station.

They have these places up and down Bangkok and Pattaya and they are nothing more than old condos and run down houses away from prying eyes where they can do things to the accused which are highly illegal.

15 hours ago, Nip said:

Yes, a police safe house is not safe for the victim it's safe for the police.

Setting aside the crime itself as that is being dealt with adequately by all the TV supersleuths that would put Sherlock to shame. I hate these safe houses and I do not believe them to be even legal.

There is not one possible reason to take somebody to a safe house other than to perform illegal activities against the person and the law. Not one. You cannot even say for the safety of the accused, because once they got their ' confession ' they move him to a regular police station or Army barracks whatever, where he could have be taken in the first place.

It is a known fact these places are used to extort victims, extract confessions under duress, use cruel and unusual punishment such as electric shocks, suffocation with plastic bags etc. There are also no witnesses or access to lawyers or medical staff if need be.

If this guy is guilty, do as you wish or should I say as the law decides, but neither he nor anybody else should be taken to these safe houses, which is just a  euphemism for torture chambers!

I know people close to me who have been taken to these places and terrorized into giving in to extortion.

I remember him well. I watched him daily.

He had very much a style and arrogant attitude not dissimilar to the UK's Piers Morgan.

He could be right on many things he said but it was usually over shadowed with the need for the limelight and making it all about himself.

Anyway, he paid the money back only after he was bang to rights and then tried denying he was trying to embezzle it.

Maybe he can do a prison radio station whilst reflecting the error of his ways, greedy <deleted>.

10 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

Every one of the charges you lay at the door of the institutions you listed could quite easily be cast at our own government in shovelfuls. We are in no position to feel superior, with our faux democracy and our laughable claim to the 'mother of parliaments'.

Yep,

Very much an imperfect system I agree but the best we have at the moment and until a better system is put in place, it's the only one we have.

The referendum was and let's have it out in the open, the people were fed up with unchecked immigration, being constantly overruled and undermined by Brussels, and getting the worst and the criminal elements from the poorest nations in the EU, coming and living on benefits.We did not get the movement of people to find better jobs with in the skilled and unskilled sectors of the UK jobs industry, as we had thought it would have been. Sure, loopholes and weaknesses in the system were exploited.

There are certain countries over represented in people moving to the UK for a life of crime and living on government benefits, and when the UK tries to remove them, they hit obstacles under EU law that prevents them from doing so.

The Lords should have been abolished many years ago, it is antiquated, useless and not fit for purpose and if people wish to keep the checks and balances of parliament, the Lords needs to move into an elected body in a different format.

It is also a bit difficult and a culture clash, when the UK operates under a system where we live as we like to live unless we break the law compared with a European method of the people being told how to live by the law.

3 hours ago, puipuitom said:

 

 

The secretary general of the UN, NATO, WTO, WHO, FIFA, Olympic Committee, IMF, World Bank,  are also not elected by the voters of the world.

 

 

Yes,

And just look at the job these people in charge have done!

These organizations that are and have been scandal hit, rife with corruption, mismanagement, cronyism, nepotism and downright incompetence!

What poor examples you gave us as your beacons of light and paths to follow. I'll stick to the UK ballot box of choosing our leadership.

Never married but this year is 23 years together. Ups and downs but mostly ups!

I have no plans for that to change and neither does my other half.

My relationship with the UK wife lasted 6 years.

5 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

Johnson will reform the House of Lords.

 

He will flood the place with swivel eyed Brexit loons like Tim Martin.

Sooner the better!

4 hours ago, Fairynuff said:

Be sure to let us know! Out of interest are you planning to get another Elite visa?

I think if he was he would have done it already and not be stressing about getting another year.

6 hours ago, JonnyF said:

I'd say William and Kate are looking better by the day. I guess that's the one positive to come from all this, the debacle of Harry and Markle has really highlighted what a great job William and Kate are doing.

I used to be big on the Royal family but not so much these days. I find it outdated and a bit silly.

I have nothing to say about William and Kate and they are doing a decent job for those into that kind of stuff.

4 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

How very trendy of you, to use the trendy phrase "your imaginary God".

 

 

Used the phrase for as long as I have been an Atheist which is many years, nothing to do with being trendy.

2 hours ago, Liverpudlian said:

Harry for me is the only top geezer out of the entire useless mob, and perhaps a role model for the up yours with 2 fingers brigade. 

The only one worth a light to a candle is The Queen!

The rest I agree are useless.

2 hours ago, Farangwithaplan said:

So by that logic you always win your argument. If the the police don't find the murderer, you can put the Welli into the police for not doing the job. But they bring s suspect in for questioning - which I believe the report states as opposed to merely inviting the suspect for tea and scones when it suits because they have already taken the DNA sample according to the English translated Thai report - and suddenly the suspect must be a patsy.

 

Interesting! And I use that word very wrongly in this instance.

National police chief, Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, said today that the man, whose identity was not disclosed, matches the suspect’s profile, being of a similar height and seen carrying a red shoulder bag, similar to the one used by the robber.

I know the Thai police, how they work and operate, and have first hand experience of dealing with them on many levels.

They are not known for good policing and thorough investigation and when it comes to being under pressure to solve a crime........Well! things like the Burmese 2, Kirsty Jones murder in Chiang Mai, and many others come to mind.

I hope they have a lot more to go than the announcement from the police chief in Bangkok. They are not shy in press conferences when they have the slightest bit of evidence to go on. Similar height and a red shoulder bag, I would have a lot more than this before issuing statements.

22 hours ago, Templar Knight said:

My life was not difficult until this happened for i would go to Tesco every week for something and it was easy to pay. Going to the bank i hate long lines and paying on line i dont trust.  I will get someone to pay it for me.  Who thought of this idea of id for paying for bills what is the benefit from this? 

Your life is not difficult now, just pay it online.

2 hours ago, LennyW said:

Suspect or scapegoat????

My thoughts exactly!

8 hours ago, yogi100 said:

 

The paparazzi were chasing that car on motor bikes when it crashed in the tunnel. They even stuck their cameras in the car and took pictures of her as she lay dying.

 

If that's not hounding I dunno what is. What would you call it?

 

And I did not say anyone was worth a fortune, you did.

 

I said "he's able to paddle his own financial canoe. So will she, she's already worth a fortune." As I was referring to the future I was obviously talking about Meghan rather than Diane

 

You said "Her wealth was estimated at 4 million". As you said 'was' I assume you were referring to Diane. Because 'was' is the past tense.

 

Regardless of whether you were talking about Diane or Meghan where I come from 4 million is a fortune so that may possibly be where I got that "she was ' worth a fortune ' from".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The paparazzi were chasing and pursuing a woman who was the future King's mother out in the company of her new boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, the son of the Billionaire owner of Harrods who had had numerous run ins with the British establishment, and also, he was a Muslim. This rocked the British establishment.

Not only was this newsworthy but it was also in the public interest knowing her position. She cannot have the heart wrenching pictures of children with AIDS in hospitals and with landmine victims that boost her credibility on the world stage and not be held to scrutiny through her private life, it doesn't work that way.

The reference to net worth of 4 million was to Meghan by various magazine estimates, not to Princess Diana who was worth considerably more at the time of her death and afterwards.

I am sure they will thrive in their new roles and earn plenty of money. They won't be popping round next door to borrow a pint of milk, that's for sure.

However, it is good to see the Royal family getting trimmed down and the burden on the public finances reduced. The disgrace that is Prince Andrew is now out of favour, and rightly so. We need a few others to follow quickly as well. Let them get in the real world.

29 minutes ago, Opl said:

After 10 days of turmoil over the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the outcome is, perhaps, not the half-in, half-out role the couple appear to have anticipated. Harry and Meghan have gone from “stepping back” as senior royals to stepping down

I am glad it has worked out this way. You are either  in and toe the line or out and you lose all the privileges.

You cannot run your life and expect others to jump to your tune of behaving like some Hollywood B actors, let's face it, that's the limits of her success, she was no Nicole Kidman!. That is not what the Royal family is about.

There also seems to be some resentment at the way William and Kate are viewed compared to Harry and Meghan. I think it is quite possible this is down to attitude and behavior. It has been stated that Kate and Meghan just do not get on.

Kate very much takes a regal approach and a back seat, in favour of William as future monarch, although their respect for each other is there for all to see. Meghan seems to prefer the driving seat, and brings with her all the diva baggage such as women's rights, feminist agendas, anti hunting, blaming any criticisms on her being biracial. etc implying it is a race thing!

When they first were getting married they were the toast of the nation.It has been their subsequent petulant behaviour why the press has turned on them.

It has been reports from inside with the palace, with whistle blowers stating how difficult Meghan was to get along with, her temper tantrums, her insistence of a private christening for the child shortly after all the public expense of their wedding, their wanting to ' direct ' the press as to what and was not allowed, that has alienated them to those in their royal circles. It was even suggested that future press coverage was to be limited to basically ' press conferences to favored newspapers only ' it was never going to fly.

Regards security, the people in the know were estimating a 1 million pound a year bill for security in Canada alone.

It is blindingly obvious they have not thought through their future relationship with the Royal family picking and choosing what they would do, and Harry thinking they could bully their way.

I am sure they can make a lot of money selling the Royal brand and reducing it to talk shows and tacky tell-alls on talk shows! After all Fergie, the ex-wife of disgraced Prince Andrew did it for long enough.

16 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I think from what most of us have seen and read, no amount of Spin Doctoring from his expensive legal team of the jury pool is gonna get him off

They said that about OJ Simpson and Michael Jackson.

14 hours ago, TheDark said:

If you are one of those who use God's intentions in vain and abuse people, men or women, who are weaker than you, let me tell you son, you are about to get into one hellowa ride.

 

You have abused people. You have abused the word of God. You have abused the trust of your kind. 

 

You shall meet the decider one day. On that day onwards, you will suffer. 

What has your imaginary God got to do with this?

19 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

All forms of punishment have not been abolished. Just the one that has been proven beyond doubt to do much more harm than good and has no place in a civilised society......corporal punishment.

Hahahaha,

Yeah, make them sit on the ' naughty step ' for 15 minutes or take the computer out of their bedroom for 2 hours. What kind of a stupid, soft, half hearted, ineffective solution is that?

Proven beyond doubt by whom?  Nonsense!

You mean selective statistics?

Sycophant!

9 hours ago, Max69xl said:

"Jomtien is particularly hard nosed enforcing regulations, sometimes legal but usually their own interpretations of the law"

Where did you get that bs from? Jomtien Immigration have never been real tough about rules and regulations compared to several other offices in Thailand. The TM30 reporting for example isn't really enforced here unless you come back from abroad,but then you have 72 hours instead of the normal 24. The 90 days reports routine is like a "drive through" without the TM47. Showing the money in the bank after 90 days after the 1 year extension isn't that time consuming. It takes 30 seconds. 

There are new rules this year at several immigration offices (maybe every office) because of the new frequirements from early last year. 

Regarding foreigners being not allowed to put up a condo for rent while on a Non-O or Non-O-A extension, that's officially not allowed anywhere despite what people think. That's why foreigners use real estate agencies when they want to put up a condo for rent. Compared to CW in BKK and some offices out in the sticks I prefer Jomtien Immigration any day of the week,and I think most of the expats staying in Pattaya/Jomtien agrees. 

OK, I did point out I haven't lived there for many years in my post and was going off the reports from posters here of how they had been treated. It certainly wasn't easy going around 15-20 years ago down there, although back in those days there were less foreigners on long term stays. Strange really, those that were on legal stays were given a bit of a hard time but the border and visa runs thrived.

Also,these days, when there is a cash incentive, to push foreigners to the agents because of commissions to the IO, then it stands to reason in a country such as Thailand, with rampant corruption, that is the route they will take.

You are right on another point, some offices in the sticks are absolute pillocks, Sakon Nakhon for one! in my dealings anyway.

It has been quite a lot easier since Kalasin opened its own immigration offices. For how long , that is the question!

I

22 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Never bother with them, always get a new passport at home. Same day service if you want and no embassy letter needed when you want to transfer stamps from old to new at Thai immigration.

I do the same as you. It's funny how some do not plan ahead in these matters and then vent their anger at those of us who do!

I am not particularly referring to the OP, although on a different note, I have used VFS in Bangkok without issues for my Thai partner to obtain British visas without incident and a smooth service on the whole. We didn't have contact with any Indians, only Thais.

I now have two UK passports but when I had only one and it was getting near to full even though not near expiry, I would take a trip into Liverpool and get a new one, whilst in the UK.

It can save a lot of messing when you are abroad for long periods of time.

6 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Absolutely if it came down to having to pay a corrupt IO 20k or a visa agent about the same in illegal payments just for them to graciously do what they are meant to for nothing, then I would certainly be off. People have to have enough self respect not to lower themselves into the gutter with these fraudsters.

I think the majority using these ' agents ' can not fulfill the legal financial or medical or other requirements for extensions. That's why they use agents and then Immigration gets their pound of flesh. If you are open, above board and legal, an agent is usually not needed but you have to jump through some hoops.

From my understanding ( I haven't lived in Pattaya for 14 years now) Jomtien is particularly hard nosed enforcing regulations, sometimes legal but usually their own interpretations of the law to push you to an agent, especially using any means of an excuse, such as work permits for a foreigner renting out his condo, or the Thai owner of a condo won't do what is required for immigration etc etc.

While some worry about breaking free from these agents if they moved provinces and worried they would be in a never ending cycle of blackmail, that can only happen if they are not financially sound to be within the immigration rules.

If I had a temporary setback, I would probably use an agent that many others in that boat had used previously. I would then, when my circumstances improved and I had the necessary finances or cash in the bank, allow the extension to lapse, in my case , a retirement one. I would then leave and re-enter on a 30 day tourist and apply for a fresh Non-O, thus breaking the cycle of the agent or middle man.