boppia

Chuchok and womble are you packing for Chiangmai? You might find more people who agree with you up there.

I heard from a TV (ASTV?) that Samak and Sudarat went to France.

I agree with you I'm happy with this so far. I also heard that major investors (funds) aren't planning to reduce their holdings in Thailand.

It would be nice if all the proThaksin dirtbags packed their bags and left LOS. Some of the proThaksin posters should leave too. There's got to be another dictatorship for them to live under, maybe in Africa?

Thaksin will move to London and get involved with the Carlyle Group in the US.

If he talks too much, the coup leaders may have to shut him up.

Hitler would have chose him to run one of his factories too. It's too bad you only have three choices. Be a little more creative and you will see that there are many honest and succesful people in this world who can lead.

Phuket Post is a well respected news source so this must be true. George, please check out Foxnews and TheOnion.com for more great stories. Why post this slanted garbage? has Thaivisa been taken over by Rupert Murdock?

I'd say that the slaves of Thailand's past have blended into the system. Was slavery ever that big here? Were average non-slaves of that time that much better off?

I'd say that 'slavery' exists right now. The workers here are often treated like dogs. The haves including most of us often don't see it this way. Capitalism as it is means that many poor people and their children's lives will not improve for generations to come. Slaves were at the bottom of the economic system back then and there is a bottom to the system we use today. For some reason, the people higher up don't see a problem with the working poor at the bottom.

When Thailand gets rid of its apartheid system things should improve.

I agree with both of you. I think both people and animals should be sterilized. The world would be a hel_l of a lot better.

Thailand should do more screening. There are people who should be booted out. At the same time it should look at how foreigners coming from all backgrounds benefit the society. Money doesn't mean quality in all cases. I would say a lot of western countries are doing pretty well due to continuous immigration over the years. But the immigrants in the west are given equal rights which allows them to use their ideas to start new businesses etc. Most foreigners see Thailand as a place which can be enjoyable to live in. They can see opportunites which could be developed and never are due to laws etc. The most important reality of Thailand is that an investment here is never safe. It's like a bank you can't trust. The law is shakey here so safe investments turn out to be much higher risk investment than they would in the home countries of foreigners. On top of all this foreigners die in Thailand continuously. Why's that? Thailand has a lot to do to improve the country. Screening foreigners is important; most successful countries do it. Thailand also needs to have a government which makes laws which are best for the people- all people and a justice system which enforces the law sincerely.

I don't have a lot of sympathy for the casino and neither for the Thai guy. If the guy has assets he should pay up.

The saddest thing about this for me is that foreign NGOs, governments, and individuals who have sympathy for the plight of Thailand's poor send people and cash to help Thailand meanwhile Thais who have (and some really have much much more than the foreigners who come hear to help!!!) are doing nothing for their country. It makes me sick. So I guess this worthless Thai guy deserves the worst. Screw him and people like him.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html

"Dual Nationality

The concept of dual nationality means that a person is a citizen of two countries at the same time. Each country has its own citizenship laws based on its own policy.Persons may have dual nationality by automatic operation of different laws rather than by choice. For example, a child born in a foreign country to U.S. citizen parents may be both a U.S. citizen and a citizen of the country of birth.

A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth.U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

Intent can be shown by the person's statements or conduct.The U.S. Government recognizes that dual nationality exists but does not encourage it as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other countries on dual national U.S. citizens may conflict with U.S. law, and dual nationality may limit U.S. Government efforts to assist citizens abroad. The country where a dual national is located generally has a stronger claim to that person's allegiance.

However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Either country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person later travels there.Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenship.Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose citizenship.

Information on losing foreign citizenship can be obtained from the foreign country's embassy and consulates in the United States. Americans can renounce U.S. citizenship in the proper form at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. "

Why word things this way? I guess it's so the man can always stick it to YOU.

Actually, I love the US. I would never renounce my citizenship there. I just want equal opportunity; that's all. It has nothing to do with other countries' laws; it's about discrimination in US law. But it seems to me, as an average joe, that the wording in the above is flip-floppy.

Sounds great if they can get their stuff to the right market. But how long will that market last. There are a lot of rice farmers who probably would like to improve their incomes.

I still think someday they are gonna find oil up in Surin but I don't know much about geology.

liketobe, the issue, as I see it, is the current system discriminates against some Americans. Why should some Americans be able to benefit from the law and not others. I'm not complaining against Thai law. I just think two citizens from the same country should have the same rights and opportunities under the law. At the moment, Americans who wish to do business in Thailand without citizenship have many more requirements than those who do not, such as minimum investments for visas, visas payements and hassles, company ownership rules, etc? Meanwhile an American who has dual citizenship doesn't have to deal with this mess as far as I know.

As for recieving or having dual citizenship at the moment, unless you recieve it at birth or it is bestowed on you without choice, you may be breaking rules if you try to 'acquire' it.

Some countries give citizenship to 'outstanding' individuals. This would not be something someone has sought after yet under the law seem to be able to accept.

Something interesting which I believe is legal under the law is that Americans may fight in foreign armies. I'm not going to go net searching to back this up but I'm sure someone will. An Israeli soldier may be both an American and an Israeli.

Whatever the truth is the law seems to be typical BS language. It might be this way to slow the rush going out of the border and to get more US citizens to spend invest their money in the US.

That name seems a bit limp to me. It doesn't sound even the slightest bit interesting.

I think your could take the right to dual citizenship of all Americans to court. To me it seems that those who have dual citizenship have an advantage over those who do not. For example, take a Thai person who acquires dual citizenship with the US. That person will be able to do business in America and in Thailand without problems yet your average native-born citizen who wishes to do business in Thailand has his business options limited without citizenship in that country. Why let some Americans have dual citizenship and the opportunities that go with it and not allow others to have the same opportunities. It seems like discrimination to me.

If an American who seeks citizenship of a foreign country is seen as some sort of threat to the US then why wouldn't a foreigner who refuses to denounce his citizenship be seen as a threat?

There's really no grounds for denying some individuals opportunity while allowing it for others.

What do you think about this?

What are you talking about Tong? A lot of the investigations you see happening today wouldn't be happening if it weren't for the alternative media and the protests. Tong, is Thaksin corrupt in any way? Please answer.

I always get singled out even though I look like a clean guy boring American in his 30's. But they single me out both ways - going to and coming from Thailand. I'd guess if you live outside of the US for a while and you aren't a CEO or a government worker you might be a traitor.

I get searched sometimes when I go back. I have never taken pirated goods back or anything illegal. I can tell you that Thais do take loads of pirated software into the US and for some reason they always get through. I know one college student who took 50 pirated CDs of computer stuff to friends in the US. But she didn't look like one of the usual suspects.

Personally, I don't have much sympathy for immigration or customs people. It's not easy as far as I know to get a job in customs or with immigration. They continually seem to harrass the innocent and let violators get through. It's all a big joke.

I do feel sorry for the guy who answered that question because who knows maybe they do keep records of you. But you did nothing wrong.

I would like to see more people in immigration and customs fired for their corruption, mistakes, and exploitation of individuals. These jobs are extremely important to the US yet the people who do them really are morons sometimes.

I'll do it but give me an M-16 with a grenade launcher, 50 grenades, a few landmines to put outside the classroom doors and windows and a tank.

Life is cheap in LOS. It's too bad. Will it ever change? They do have a some suicide hotlines now. Maybe there is hope.

Is he now a wise old owl?

I've wondered about that too. Well, there are possibilities. Let's see.. First, Thaksin may have shut it down. It might have jumped off the balcony of a tall Pattaya skyscraper. Is there a new law in Thailand against having a farang name?

Well, slowly people upcountry are learning about Thaksin's corruption. Most people don't have access to alternative info. In my wife's village up in Surin some people have turned against him. It's all about information. If the get it, they can't deny it. My wife used to love him and argued with me about him but after she got an alternative news source in Thai she has turned against him. She would probaly join the military resistance at this point.

Lots of people who I've talked to in BKK have a deep hatred of him. There's one islamic janitor at my work who said something to me about George Bush once which let me know how much he was against America. At the same time a Thai friend spoke to the Janitor about Thaksin and the janitor supported him. I told the Thai friend to ask the janitor if he thought Thaksin was doing a good job with the Muslims in the South and if he thought the invasion of Iraq which Thaksin supported was a good thing. I think the janitor can change. It's all about ignorance and information.

This country needs a revolution. The better off 'Thai' haves here in LOS who treat the poor as dogs are the biggest problem. They want their workers to work 12 hours a day for 30 days a month for less their their child's bus fare. In a country that is way too cheap already they are unwilling to pay a slight amount more to hire a Thai. they opt out for a Burmese worker who they can have more control over and who is more likely to be slave-like.

The only problem with foreigners buying land in Thailand comes from the Chinese and Taiwanese who use corruption to settle in Thailand. When it comes to corruption and the exploitation of Thailand by foreigners, Thailand isn't willing to publicly address the problem. The invasion of Thailand is over. It happened long ago with the help of traitors. Why all the fuss now? Because the Thais see a few white faces.

The Thais need to have some laws but laws that address the real problem.

Hi Tong, If you know about NongKhai, are the lights that come out of the river up there in October real? The glow balls or whatever they are? That happens next month.

Going back to the original question about financing the research, is there anyone man enough to help foot the bill? I think only an real athlete could foot it.