Scouse123

Do unto others....like they will do to you.

They wouldn't even accept Christians into most of their countries, let alone give financial assistance and housing etc.

Make no mistake, the ones at the front of these queues for asylum are not the weakest and most needy either!

They are the strongest with set agendas!

I tend you agree with you and that nonchalant behaviour reflects right the way through to supermarkets and banks. I have a good command of Thai, however, I am constantly asked when I visit the bank the whereabouts of my other half, giving the distinct impression that this who they prefer to speak with .... about my business!!

Even the local advice centre computer shop ( I know he speaks English ) tries to avoid me and palms me off with staff who are just not knowledgeable about products and prefer looking at their nails or playing on their phones as opposed to service.

Back to the thread in hand, I am on my third new Toyota, I have looked at other models, and been given the runaround similar to many of the comments here regards Fords etc. I found the most interested and helpful for me and who responded quickly were the dealerships in Bangkok which pisses me off a bit when I live up in the top of Isaarn.

I maybe am boring, but I those the Toyota for reliability, parts, serviceability and minimal wait times.

All these price increases are well and good until the masses decide, in the present economy, that they will hang on to their existing car for another couple of years in an uncertain climate.

Let's see what and how deep the ' sudden new found special ' discounting goes then.

Look, anytime the notoriously lenient judges here hand down a 20 year sentence, that is itself quite a miraculous outcome. So, let the beautiful sentencing of this absolute creep stand. It is a good thing.

No,

I am sorry but there are a few things you may not know.

The guy has said jealousy was the motive. The reason for this is a Thai court will view this as a ' temporary loss of control ' Thais relate to that.

It would not bear well had he admitted he did it for greed and money.

Because there was no weapon as in a gun or knife used, this again goes in his favour at times of amnesties by the King. What happens is amnesties are awarded on his behavioural class within the prison system ranging from excellent ( obviously biggest cut in sentence ) to very bad where they get nothing. The prison system has:- Very bad, bad, standard, good, very good and excellent.

OK, then at amnesty time, the question will be if he used a weapon and was it pre meditated.

By the lenience of the sentence the judge has accepted a gulity plea, killing in a fit of rage caused by jealousy and no weapon used.Also, is he a first time offender for this type of crime. Yes, if he has been a scumbag before for say, theft or burglary. That does not go against him for amnesties as its a different type of crime to this one.

This guy will probably serve about 10-12 years max.

I believe though, he has another murder case pending, didn't the daughter of another victim come forward??

Under the Thai system, the death sentence applies to the Burmese two as they fought their case, pleaded not guilty and lost, regardless of how badly that case was conducted, under Thai law, they were given the maximum.

We will have to see how this plays out in the appeal court and the Supreme Court which could take another 8-10 years. Because of all the negative publicity, the Thais will purposely " drag their feet " in the hope that people's memories fade and it doesn't create the tremendous feeling it is doing at the moment.

Sad, but this is their system.

There is no ' loss of face ' there is no ' jealousy ' Why not call these crimes what they are " premeditated murder for nothing other than GREED! "

it's open and shut and black and white and as simple as that, the rest is just lies, smoke and mirrors.

DISGUSTING!

Many of these filthy ignorant uneducated scum know nothing of Buddhism and just use it as a get out clause to try and say they repent in the hope of lesser sentences.

Wow, and how many times have we heard " A Thai person wouldn't do this, a Thai person wouldn't do that "

Well, we know exactly what they are capable of, and lying and claiming sorrow and regret are right up there at the top of the list. They are masters at both.

We should have known the new regulations allegedly coming into force in March would be impractical for use, unclear and wide open for wrong interpretation and abuse by the powers that be.

It starts by laying out the penalties and whether or not a person voluntarily hands themselves in or are caught by the authorities, both of which incur very different penalties. It goes on to state that if they are charged and prosecuted with a crime, the higher penalties can be applied.

All so far, so good. fairly clear.

We now enter into the ' tea money zone ' because as everyone knows it's all down to ' interpretation ', and for all the complaining, very few who are in the country or who are regularly here and have girlfriends/boyfriends/family ties will want to be blacklisted.

They will opt to ' pay the fee ' which then just adds another string to the bow to the endemic corruption which is already on every level of law and order in the country. It solves absolutely nothing just gives already corrupt people more opportunity to be even more corrupt.

The questions therefore are; Will it keep out the ' dark elements and mafias ' answer; No, they will just pay as it's the costs of doing business. Will it deter them from coming? No, again. Those who break the law seldom care about new laws or regulations. Will it encourage people to stay within the law and ensure they have correct visas and paperwork to stay in the country? Possibly. However, if they intend to start handing out bans for these types of offences, what about the tourist who overstays by a couple of days or a week or two? He/She are normally good people but let's say they just get ' wrapped up in the moment ' or are too busy enjoying themselves as young ( and not so young ) people do it Thailand. Let's face it, Thailand encourages foreigners to spend their cash as much as possible at every twist and turn. It has got to be one of the most hedonistic places on Earth.

What about the guys who genuinely mix up their documentation and are on work permits or who are let down by the authorities in returning paperwork etc leading to overstay, these things happen and regularly!!

Are they to be fined, banned or charged a boatload of money ' under the table '?

So, in essence, it is the ' small fry ' who will be caught in the web, not the intended deliberate lawbreakers.

Please don't say that these unfortunates will be treated ' leniently ' or ' with understanding ' as the guys in charge, (immigration), are exactly the same ones many TV members have problems with entering the kingdom with the immigration officer on the day and their interpretations of visa stamps, what constitutes too many visits in a certain period, too many entry and exit stamps at border crossings etc.

This is just a tiny part of the problems that can and will occur if these new rules are implemented.

Mind you, if they are focussing public attention and the news on these ' bad foreigners ' they are taking attention away from the real issues such as a collapsing economy, a fishing dispute with the EU over slave labour, an airline on the brink of a worldwide ban on safety issues, murders of foreigners with increasing regularity, gun crime completely out of control, human trafficking, the insurgency in the South etc.

Pathetic!

Movable tiny houses are called "knock-downs". Caravans and travel trailers are unknown here.

To be sure: Thai Ladies / GF are opposed to "knock-downs". It would mean, that a Farang can legally and physically move part of his assets away from the "Family Property". Heaven forbid !

That explains, why so few Farangs are allowed to build a "knock-down" by order of Thai wife / GF.

Cheers.

What a fantastic idea, change your missus....move house..............literally!! love the idea!

You could rent a strip of land all over the place easily, farmers field near the road for a year etc etc.

Love to see the face of the ex-wife/girlfriend etc!!!......................wife's mother!!!

How long before the junta rushed through a law prohibiting it?? my guess is a week following a protest March to Bangkok from Isaarn by a load of toothless pissed of wanna- ba mothers-in-laws!

Where are you located??

I may have a second hand Acer, going cheap, for sale with pre loaded windows 7 now upgraded online to windows 10.

It has a good quality carry bag too and Norton 360 for 1.5 years remaining ( I paid for three computers for 2 years up front ) plus windows office.

Send a message if you wish.

I never use it as I find at home I like my desktop and outside I use my i pad or Samsung phone. Plus, I used to get cheesed of unpacking it at airports for the scanners.

Filipinos can always be included in a conversation as they get and understand 90% of what we are saying as opposed to a lot of Thais who, unless ,they have had a great education and travelled widely, do not.They thus then, tend to sit on the sidelines and get bored unless in the company of other Thais.

Thais have one of the best cuisines in the world, even I miss the food when I don't eat it for a week or so. Thais also, much as they have not had it that easy and many are not wealthy material wise, appear (from what I have read on this thread) to have a much easier and happier life than the Filipinos who are constantly plagued by hurricanes and tornados and poor infrastructure, ferry sinkings, as well as grinding poverty.

Because of the nature of the country and the total refusal to curb the birthrate coupled with there not being enough work for the population, the Philippines appears to be a place with some lovely people unfortunately trapped in a country that many would choose not to be if given that choice.

My other half cannot wait to get home to som tam, Larb moo and village gossip after a trip abroad..!! I have met Filipinos in the UK, who have no intention of returning home. They do worry and send money home or at least, they told me they did.

There are not many Thais in 2016, wherever they live, genuinely hungry or without food like there are in say, Cambodia and by the sounds of it, the Philippines.

They drive on the wrong ( American ) side of the road. Too freaking hot. Haven't been there; however, if the food is as bad as other posters say, not interested.

Like Thailand, the Philippines has its share of horror stories about women. Lang Hancock is the most famous example.

A majority of the countries in the world drive on the Right side of the road. It was influenced by France, Russia and the US.

http://www.worldstandards.eu/cars/driving-on-the-left/

Today, only four European countries still drive on the left: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta.

Yes. Only 3rd world countries still drive on the left side.

Yes, That's why third world Japan drives on the left and first world North Korea drives on the right.

We stay in Thailand how would we know ?

I thought you might take the occasional day/week off from your fantastic one liners on here and actually travel around the region you " live in "

Thanks everyone.

Any places to avoid the squalor and rat infested areas?

If I go to Philippines then Manila is completely off the list and so would be dangerous areas of Muslim insurgent kidnappings.

They say the Philippines is the only place where consular assistance is needed by UK nationals more than Thailand.

Where is to be recommended where you are not constantly looking over your shoulder?

Guys,

I really don't want to get into a pissing contest on a country I have never been to, but this seems to show the Philippines way ahead of Thailand in the murder stakes.

It is 2012 survey and I am unsure of all the data.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

I am and was referring to buildings up and down the country and even on the approaches to Bangkok..!

I have not been to Pattaya in years and years.

However, I am sure there are plenty as management companies are usually interested in profit and seldom in upkeep...!!

I have heard in the past many condo owners complain bitterly about their condos from neglect, excessive charges for works not carried out, to committees not agreeing on repairs and renewals to the often comments of owners saying their condo block has ' gone down the pan '

Anto's post stated:-

" I always wondered what happens to very old Condo buildings in Thailand .?."

sorry to hear about your friends condition .....

has he been to a hospital in Bangkok to seek treatment ?

Yeah,

Nana plaza hospital I think the name of the place is.

I don't think he will be returning to the Philippines anytime soon.

No,

The condo builder cannot knock it down, it is no longer his property or concern and the building just joins the long list of buildings that you see often, run-down, decrepit and in a state of severe disrepair and valueless!!

It's really hard to understand this market. There is no organized MLS system that tells you what things actually sell for. You can see the asks, but you can't see the sale prices.

This is deliberate. It's all smoke and mirrors and the whole market here is a vast Ponzi scheme that relies on no one actually knowing anything at all.

If real selling prices were known you could expect an immediate average drop of 20-30% on advertised prices.

How right you are!

There are no true valuations and you are deliberately kept in the dark by agents, many of whom could not get a job in their industry in the West, and few Estate agents in the West are not particularly good or honest. Any really good deals are snapped up by the agents themselves and sold on without Joe punter public knowing who it is that actually owns it.

A few pointers.

1. Agents already are getting vast discounts from developers who want them to list their projects first to buyers, so forget thinking they are pulling 5% when many are pulling 15-20%. So, therefore, they are already getting huge mark ups and can push these and others as ' brand new ' to their client database.You can see many of these when they have a 3D ' model ' of a new project proudly displayed in their offices!!

2. I have seen guys on here saying about a particular building project that this or that project ' has already sold out on such and such floor ' Not so fast....!....agents conspire with each other when these projects are in the very early development stages and actually ' cherry pick and remove the best condos from the initial offering '

They then tell the customer that these condos have been snapped up prior to being advertised. Yes they have, BY THEM THEMSELVES, So that they can then re-market the same proprties at vastly increased prices on the secondary market as prices for a development start to sell.

3. An estate agents office is split between rentals and sales departments. The two operate independently. The owner of the agency instructs his sales team to guide potential punters to wherever the best commission will be obtained and that is straightforward and simple business ethics in their world.

4. Very rare do agents know of the actual materials or fabrics or quality of workmanship taking place on a condo project. They are usual guided by previous projects done by developers that ' seem to be OK ' They really haven't a clue!

5. Plenty of these fancy SUVs, Mercedes benz, Rollers and Bentleys and other high end cars in Bangkok and Pattaya are owned by these fine developers and estate agents- go figure- it's a very lucrative business.

6. Always market a property yourself as well as using an estate agent and use all media at your disposal including linkedin, facebook, twitter, friends and family etc. flyers, posters in bars offering a % to the bar owner etc.

That is how I managed to sell a property that the estate agents said was ' too difficult to shift ' and ' not the style of property that was selling at the moment '

7. When you are selling a house, they tell you the market is favouring condos, when you are selling a condo, they tell you their customers are looking at new builds. You cannot win with these guys... they are like lawyers!

8. Estate agents are constantly moving offices because the catchment areas of Bangkok and Pattaya are constantly moving as well.The Estate agents who actually own their offices are few and far between. They are market driven as to where the best foot traffic is for their line of business and open there accordingly. So, you see, if they are moving because the centre of the city is being dragged Eastwards or Westwards the same can be said about the ' appeal of your potential condo ' which right now is in a great area but will it be in five years??

9. Once a project is sold out and they all have taken their pound of flesh they don't give a damn if the project goes bust, the management fees and condo maintenance are extortionate- they are not interested!

Any person coming in to Thailand needs to really analyse the market and you are a lot more likely to get a better deal and discount as a buyer., believe it or not, by placing an advert in the Bangkok post or Pattaya Mail,Pattaya Today,Pattaya People etc advertising under ' Wanted ' in the property section from guys who are pig sick of the place and constant rule changes or broken girl/boy relationship who wish to relocate within Asia or move back to their own country.

Caveat Emptor people!

JD66,

I have been in and out of Cambodia regularly since 2010.

I have the 12 month extension and have never experienced anything you say. I may have been lucky or you very unlucky.

I am going in and out of the country regularly and there is NO NEED WHATSOEVER to have a business alongside an ordinary/business visa. You could be a retiree, you could be a person who is looking for a business but wants a good look around first, without needing to leave the country every thirty days. I have substantial amounts of money invested in the banks in that country which I can show if necessary the funds to support myself. They know they have a problem with retirees and they form a part of the income and economy which they need. Especially, as we are the future potential purchasers of high end condos etc part of the building boom which is going on because the local population by and large, cannot afford them.

They are now trying to address this ' grey area ' of retirees and wealthy people who wish to stay but do not need to work but as yet do not have a visa category for them.

I say the police who came to see you were on a ' shake down ' after money or otherwise did not know the law. As you know well, many of them do not. Also, the usual way of police arriving on your doorstep is because they have been given the information that you are a long stayer by other foreigners wanting to either earn points or get themselves out of the brown stuff!!

The police can hardly stop every tourist walking by in the old market and ask if they have a work permit or yearly visa!!!!

I have also spoken to a number of people including police and those in government departments who have told me if I am not working, I do not need a work permit or a business to run alongside my yearly visa.

They are specifically aiming at those basically ' bumming around ' wanting to stay there working and is the equivalent back home what we call ' casual labour ' which is work without paying any taxes and living under the radar.

For example, the guys offering to do computer repairs, computer lessons,website builders,those trying to run a business online from their room, specialised masseurs and acupuncturists, yoga teachers, oh yes, the lists are endless what these foreign entrepeneurs can come up with to earn a crust!!!.......all of whom think they fall into the ' I am an exception category, no need for a work permit '

spambot,

Welcome!,glad it may help.

Guys,

I have two older males ( mid sixties) coming early May for 17 days. So, they are here low season.

They are businessmen and not showy type of guys.One has been many times but never to the islands only the usual which bores him, Pattaya and Bangkok and last two occasions enjoyed Isaarn and Laos as well as side trips to Vietnam and Cambodia.

He expressed a wish to see the islands and I am stuck really as apart from Phuket, Samed, and Samui 15 years ago, I haven't been to them.

I was in Phuket six/seven monrths ago on business and did not like it. My gripes were inflated prices in the bars, trying to get more out of less punters which is usual, taxis were silly quoted prices, and even the food places we visited were well high, maybe, it was just me who didn't know where to look. I stayed in Kata. It was exciting at all and nor was the nightlife but it was a nice beach!!

These go mid range hotels and that does not concern me as both islands have these facilities.

They are not too much into bar scene but will pop in once or twice for the experience. Both are active and young for their age.

They are looking at spending about a week on either, but not both, of the islands with a visit to Siem Reap as well and a couple of days in Isaarn.

I suppose the question is what to do on the islands regards touring and sightseeing. One is also a non swimmer! so would not be interested in snorkelling or diving. Both like sightseeing.

I did enjoy Samui but have been told it is now a concrete jungle and Koh Chang is unspoiled. I cannot comment due to lack of knowledge. Krabi has even been suggested?? The only thing I have heard about Krabi is that it is a popular place with Scandanavians.

Also, getting to Samui is Bangkok airways as they won't want all the messing about that is part and parcel of the Air Asia fly n ferry experience. They may as well pay the extra 3/4,000 baht and fly straight into the island. Koh Chang on the other hand would be a private car from Bangkok I would think???

Anybody got any ideas or views please?