richard_smith237

Yeah, you see, you were right Malcolm. It would have sounded different if it been a Brit. If it were a Brit who'd got on stage, then acted aggressively to other punters such that they complained to staff... then became violent with staff as they tried to extract him.... You'd see an equal level of disdain.... The nationality doesn't matter - the behavior does. As does what could be considered excessive force by the bounces.

Stigma... thats one of the reasons I would be careful where moving too... In Bangkok we are treated with the general level of respect that general indifference gives.. i.e. we foreigners are fairly normal here and we are treated much the same as anyone else. In area's of higher tourist footfall, especially those known for their more 'hedonistic activities' there seems to be an underbelly of hostility that one has to be particularly thick skinned to ignore. Air-quality and traffic is hideous in many area's of Thailand. Personally - I'd consider Chiang Mai for the better Climate - but also has 'smog season'. I'd also consider Hua Hin, then perhaps Chantaburi 'coastal' if I wanted a quieter life near the sea. I'm not retired, but not working in Thailand, so I could live anywhere. I've never considered anywhere outside of Bangkok so far (for sons education reasons we have to stay in Bangkok and Wife is from Bangkok so all her friends and family are also here - so no reason to move elsewhere). One further point regarding Sukhumvit - thus hustle and bustle of central Bangkok can get tiresome very quickly - there are 'enclaves' within the city that are quieter but also close enough to everything else for the convenience to remain. With a car we are never more than a quick decision and a few hours away from a beach. Expressways are convenient to get around (again with a car of course) Taxi's (Bolt / Grab) offer convenience that is unparalleled in most other places in Thailand. Costs are of course a lot more expensive in Bangkok.

Just sayin'....

Aren't there 'swimming zones' and anyone swimming outside of these zones does so at their own risk ? So, what is the degree of accountability of jet-skiers, speed boat pilots, long tail boat pilots etc when swimmers are are outside of these area's ??? IF this was one of the speed boats or long tail boat pilots would charges even be discussed ??

The way I see it, every demographic has its share of individuals who act poorly. Unfortunately, some people take the actions of a few and generalise them unfairly to the entire group. This pattern is evident even among commentators on this forum, where sweeping and often prejudiced generalisations are made about certain nationalities and demographics. The reality is that a small fraction of individuals within any group, whether they are foreigners or Thai locals, behave poorly and draw attention. Yet, the majority in both groups are well-behaved and respectable. Just as some foreigners make the news for negative reasons, the same can be said for some Thai individuals. At the core, we are no different. Every culture, nationality, and demographic has its strengths and weaknesses. Relying on broad generalisations only leads to misunderstanding and inaccuracy. It's unfortunate, but the loudest voices often come from those making the most simplistic and uninformed generalisations and this is then echoed by those who thrive on oversimplification and a lack of understanding.

I agree... start getting aggressive and violent and it can be expected that someone, likely a group of Thai's will step up and 'knock some sense into you'... But, there is a difference between getting some sense knocked into you and being put in hospital by bouncers - the lack of restraint could have killed a guy, the force used is excessive. Perhaps the Russian was excessively strong and would not stop until unconscious - or perhaps they just carried on beating him like thugs...

Two different incidents, the 'half naked dude' kicking off in front of his Wife and and Child was last week... ... I suspect the video was posted to strengthen the bias that all Russians are bad.

I think thats the 'grey area' thats going to attract of a log of discussion. From one perspective we have a thug who violent behaviour requires security intervention. From another perspective we have security guys who's job it is to protect the staff and other customers. There are of course going to be some injuries when 3 sober security guys subdue a single drunk, however, did they act excessively by hospitalising him ?... its not the first time. I agree with comments that such behavior should be dealt with legally - arrest the Russian guy, then deport him with a black-listing preventing his return - but hospitalising him is excessive force (IMO) bouncers have killed people in the past - their excessive force highlights a lack of restraint, these guys are also thugs.

I'm certainly not about to apologise for the behavior of these utter morons who start problems - IMO they deserve a night in Police Cells to sober up and face legal penalties for their actions if there has been any property damage or others attacked etc. However, your 'binary' approach will certainly label me as a 'Farang Apologist' for my next comment. As with anyone who attracts trouble here, the reaction of the Thai bounces escalates to extreme violence very quickly and IMO that is well beyond their remit as security. These bouncers were hardly hurt yet they managed to beat up this guy so severely he's hospitalised - they went beyond 'security measures' and turned into thugs. I agree with comments that he 'had it coming'... but the force used is excessive and plenty will use their 'binary approach' as mentioned above, to start throwing out labels ( farang apologist / Thai basher etc )... dealing with a drunk and disorderly guy 'should' not result in him being hospitalised unless of course doing so is absolutely necessary for the safety of the bouncers and the customers, but we also don't live in that civilised world in Thailand. That said, as also pointed out - these area's of Thailand also have enough of a reputation that anyone who visits such area's should know that if they behave aggressively and attract such attention they will be met with a physical and often violent response... they should have known better. This is a case of uncivilised behavior is met with an uncivilised response - but IMO, just like Police bouncers should be held to a higher account. Perhaps everyone (most) knowing that the response of bouncers is likely to be extreme physical and violent represses a lot of aggressive behavior and only extreme examples like this surface.

Lots of Advice on here... but as has been pointed out, as 'another asian' passing the check-points over the hills between Mae Sot and Tak is going to be the biggest hurdle. Does the Ops Malaysian friend have an MyKAD (Malaysian ID card) - if in private transport there is less likelihood of being checked in detail, but a Malay ID card may work in lieu of showing a passport (he could say his passport is with the Malaysian Embassy and he's going to pick it up). Steps are still the same 1) Report Loss of Passport to Police (get a Police report) this may be better done at a station more familiar with tourist in Bangkok (he'll blend into the 'background' there, so to speak). 2) Malaysia Embassy offers an Emergency Certificate (EC) for a single direct journey back to Malaysia - the Ops friend will sill need his MyKAD. 3) With an EC, it would be best to take a flight from BKK to KUL declaring the overstay at the Airport and paying the 20,000 baht fine - this would 'usually' be a formality, though due to the overstay the Ops friend will be blacklisted for a duration.

Its that time of year again.... A series of announcements and a 'campaign now' and another as Songkkran approaches. Meanwhile drink drivers those driving dangerously are generally ignored.. I wonder if these announcements from officials, such as "Avoid Accidents This New Year," will make an appearance. The sheer hubris of assuming that proclamations alone can effect meaningful change is striking.

If you drink Leo instead of Singa you'll save a few baht there too. Spotify in Thailand has numerous payment options - Mobile Billing (charged to your phone bill) - True Money Wallet - BankCard (ATM card - with online payments enabled) But... it seems none of that would interest you anyway - you are intent on getting Spotify for free and seem not to be bothered by the adds or other limitations. I did see 'The Playlist' on Netflix - a very good movie. If concerned with the morality about how much money gets through to the artists Tidal would be a better alternative, but that seems contradictory to you ensuring none of your money gets to the rock stars. You might pee a little bit at the cost of seeing live performances (I think we paid about 20,000 in total for 3 of us for Bruno Mars).

Up you you as they say, you're saving 139 baht a month...

Of course, violence occurs here. It would be naive and overly simplistic to think otherwise. The perception of Thais as universally benevolent, wholesome, and peaceful is an unrealistic stereotype. Like people everywhere, Thais are human, capable of both kindness and conflict. To dismiss this reality is not only naive but also highlights a failure to understand the complexities of any society. A glance at the news reveals numerous reports of violent incidents, with a recurring pattern: the triggers often appear trivial, yet situations escalate with shocking speed, sometimes culminating in fatal outcomes. This isn’t unique to Thailand but is a stark reminder of how unpredictability can manifest anywhere and it often does so here in Thailand. That said, I still consider Thailand to be safer than many other places. Personally, I rarely feel threatened here. However, it would be equally naive to assume foreigners are entirely immune to danger. While rare, random and unprovoked attacks on foreigners do occur, as documented in the news. These incidents underscore the importance of staying vigilant and respectful, regardless of perceived safety. Additionally, the adage "familiarity breeds contempt" seems particularly relevant in areas with high tourist traffic. These environments often foster a double-edged stigma where impolite behavior from both tourists and locals can contribute to friction and misunderstandings. Such dynamics naturally lend themselves to more frequent confrontations, where fault often lies with both parties. So, yes, Thais do occasionally attack foreigners without provocation, but such incidents are uncommon. Far more common are altercations triggered by seemingly trivial disputes, where minor misunderstandings or actions escalate into significant confrontations.

I did this 10 weeks ago - the online system was glitchy... hence the e-mail.

And whats this version saying ?? I'm getting: He parked in their spot... the Thai guys didn't that and started beating him.

Agreed, a follow up would be good. We've all heard stories of a fool shooting off their mouth and getting into trouble with the locals. We've all heard stories of Thai's getting extremely protective over parking spots near their property to the extent of resorting to violence.

Nope... I've lived here for well over 20 years... I've seen this sort of behavior. You are the naive one if for some reason you think Thai's are the only nation on earth who are only ever victims and never the attackers without reason or justification. The more comments you make in this thread, the more idiotic you become and I'm getting dragged down your trollish rabbit hole of pure stupidity.

Erm... I don't think that has happened, but guess it might have at some point - but I can't find a link for that..

Please do not be so stupid MalcomB.... I'm quoting what was stated in the video YOU posted !!! Op quotes he had returned from dinner. Your video quotes he was parking, and his car was attacked, he was too scared to leave the car. -------- Information is thin and contradictory: What I suspect happend: Swiss man parked and went for dinner. Returned to his car and 4-6 men were 'loitering' not happy that he had parked in that spot. I'm assuming they were abusive and he replied, then he got beaten up and got into his car. Meanwhile they continued trashing his car. Thats a guess of course - but based on the information so far this is seeming plausible. MalcomB will now com along and tell us that a 66 year old Swissman can out and started attacking 6 guys and they needed to defend themselves.

Did he ??... We've assumed that this is what triggered the 'youths' into a violent rage because we find it so difficult that someone could be so violently attacked without bringing it upon himself. But, there is nothing in the story or later video that indiciates the Swiss man did anything to draw the attack other than park his car... Without more information - its starting to look like he was attacked for parking in the wrong spot...

If he did he did. Thai guys are not mouthy though, not looking for trouble and imagining scenarios. Have you got a link to any such incident? For real ??... you really stretch your bias to extremes... News is everywhere of 'people' attacking each other and Thai's are no different, there is news every day of Thai's attacking each other... Just one of many.. (I'm not going to fill up a page with links - thats like asking to show links to prove that water is wet - its idiotic). https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/975321/premeditated-charge-weighed-in-slain-disabled-man-case?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Really ??? the 66 year old is now.. "Big mouth" and "threw the first Punch".... and it took two out of the 4 or 6 guys to defend themselves against this big bad man and teach him some respect.... ... Again... You are tarring a whole bunch of people - you seemingly cannot help yourself making such cretinous generalisations. There is nothing in this story that suggest the man was angry - he was set about by 4-6 guys, two of whom beat him up, the others smashed his car in. The video shows a distraught old man who's been beaten up and had his car smashed in. The video also states that Eyewitnesses stated that before the incident, the group was seen loitering in the area. When the victim parked his car, one individual from the group expressed dissatisfaction and began attacking the vehicle. Others joined in, causing further damage. Despite their aggression, the victim chose to stay inside his car for safety. The statements in the video do not mention anything of the actual attack on the man himself. Awww you dimster... its already been explained that the 'barrier' was a comment from someone else that I asked about.

He probably deserved it. Now - if the situation were reversed & it were British Guys attacking a Thai guy, would you suggest the Thai guy probably deserved it ?? This is why the stench of your bias highlights your absence of any critical thinking… You tar those of whole nations based on the actions of an extreme minority & lack the capacity view events through anything other than the most extremely distorted & prejudice lens. It’s astonishing you can’t see this yourself Malc. You can’t even see that the Guys bearing up and old guy is wrong.

Same thing - they were about to get ripped off… Called a friend to stop that - they were subsequently let off. Not hard to comprehend.